In Some Way, It Exists
by BeyondBloody1313
Summary: Ending up with the Lin Kuei with no hint of her past, Soraya must get her memories back. And after months of training with her Grandmaster, Sub-Zero, she begins to love him. Will she be able to find out her past and help the Defenders defeat Quan Chi? Set after the events of MK9. Some OOC-ness. AU. Sub-Zero X OC.
1. Chapter 1: Lost (Edited)

Chapter 1: Lost

_**A/N: **__Hello everyone. This story is about my OC and her experience in the Mortal Kombat universe. This story is set after the fall of Shao Kahn, around the end of MK9. It's really not connected to __**any**__ timeline. And I refuse to make Sub-Zero into a cyborg! It has and eventual slash between my OC and Sub-Zero._

**Edit: **_I've decided to edit this chapter (Or should I say, __**1-12**__) since I noticed how much they suck._

**Rating: T-M**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Mortal Kombat characters. They all belong to their respective owners.**

_Enjoy. :)_

* * *

Darkness clouded her mind.

Even then, she felt slightly at ease.

She opened her honey eyes and coughed; the sharp, cold air hurt her throat. She looked around, the environment taking her breath away. Snow fell gently into the ground and into the lifeless trees, making the area feel like a peaceful dream. Her white hand grabbed a fistful of snow and she sighed dizzily.

Where is she?

She hissed as she stood up. She touched her lower back gently, finding a deep, bleeding wound. She looked down and saw a large part of the snow, covered in blood. She frowned, ripped a piece away from her thin jacket, and covered the injury.

She'll worry about it later.

* * *

She has to find out where she is…

She groaned in pain as she climbed a tall, stone wall.

Her lower back hurt like a bitch, she was tired, and her feet ached for rest. She can't stop now though. The sun was setting and it seemed like a blizzard was coming. She has to find some sort of shelter…

It was strange, though; the cold wasn't affecting her as it should. She didn't shiver and she didn't show signs of getting frostbite on her skin.

She didn't argue with it though; the lack of logic was helping her survive, wasn't it?

She heard a faint noise…

A human voice.

The wind picked up and she squinted, looking desperately for the said voice.

"Stop…!" She heard. It sounded far away, and she ran towards it.

"Hello?!" She called out. She was becoming lightheaded…

"I said stop!" It sounded closer…

Her eyes struggled to stay open. The threat didn't stop her though and she kept running. She yelped as a dart hit her shoulder and she collapsed into the ground. Now, she couldn't deny the urge to sleep. She closed her eyes, hoped for the best, and let the darkness consume her again.

"_Stupid woman…"_

* * *

She slipped from unconsciousness to consciousness. She heard men speaking occasionally, often speaking about what they would do with her. Unfortunately, it seemed that she would blank out once they came to an idea.

"She's been that way for three days." A man named Smoke once said.

"Well…she had lost a lot of blood when we found her." A man spoke. "She'll be fine."

"What's a woman doing here anyway?" Smoke muttered. She blanked out once again.

One night she opened her eyes and finally managed to move about in her bed.

For the rest of the night, she remained awake, bored. In the morning, a man with long silver hair stepped inside her room. The grey clad man was tall and well-build and he also wore a facemask.

She looked at him, trying not to look intimidated.

"Oh! You're awake!" He said, his eyes wrinkling, showing that he was smiling. "I guess I won the bet…"

"What bet?" She hissed. She felt bad for treating him like crap when he was being friendly, but she couldn't help him. She hated strangers…

"It's nothing…" He dismissed, chuckling.

She frowned. "Where am I? And who are you?"

He seemed unfazed by her animosity and sat down in a chair next to her. "My codename is Smoke. You are in the mountains of China, in the Lin Kuei base."

A massive headache started. "C-China?!"

"Don't worry." He reassured. "My Grandmaster would be happy to take you home. Where do you live?"

She searched her memories and found a blank canvas. "I…I…I don't remember." She searched her head frantically, trying to remember her name and past. She found absolutely _nothing_.

"I see…" he said. "I understand. I'll be right back."

With that he stood up and left the room quietly.

She put a hand to her forehead and sighed. She has to remember…

She _has_ to.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ _There. I'm happier with this version instead. Any reviews help guys._

_Seriously._

_I hope you enjoyed. :)_


	2. Chapter 2: Trouble (Edited)

Chapter 2: Trouble

_**A/N:**_ _Well then…I hope you enjoy this edited chapter. And please, bear with the main character. Her angry or annoying behavior __**IS **__intentional. It changes later due to her experiences. _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the MK Characters used in this story._

* * *

It made her nervous to know that she might not live. The only voices she heard outside her door were _male _voices. She hardly ever heard the voice of a woman. Of course, the nurses here were women but…that's about it.

She waited impatiently for over an hour. Whoever Smoke was fetching seemed to sound important…

She looked to her side as the door opened. Smoke stepped in along with another man. The man wore silk blue ninja attire, a black cowl, and a blue facemask. His eyes matched his attire: a light blue, icy color. They seemed…indifferent to the injured woman before him. She assumed this was the Grandmaster.

"Sit up." He muttered sternly. Despite that it hurt her to do so, she did as told in an attempt to not make him angry.

"Where are you from?" He asked in a somewhat cold tone. His eyes sharpened a bit.

She frowned; she didn't know why, she just hated that he was so unconcerned towards her. Couldn't he care just a little? "I would answer that question," She hissed. "If only you asked with more respect."

He seemed unfazed by her attitude, which irritated her more. "My apologies," He said. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt that he didn't mean it. "Let me ask again, then. Where are you from?"

She sighed and looked through her head again…and then she remembered.

"Soraya…my name is Soraya." She smiled to herself, feeling pride in remembering.

He seemed satisfied with her answer. "That's good to hear. Your injuries are still not fully recovered, as you can tell. So for the time being, you will be allowed to stay here. When you recuperate, we'll have a talk about your..._visit_ to the Lin Kuei. Do you understand, Soraya?"

She nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to take care of." With that, he left the room silently.

"Quite the charmer." The woman muttered. Then again, isn't she as mean as he is?

"You'll get used to him." Smoke dismissed.

"When will I be able to stand up?"

Smoke thought about it for a moment. "For about two days."

"Are you kidding me?"

His eyes crinkled up again. "Nope."

"Why can't I just stand up now?" she whined.

"You'll open up the wound, stupid."

Her frown grew deeper and she attempted to stand up. "Don't call me stupid."

"You're being stupid right now!" He defended.

"I'll be fine…" She grumbled.

She stood up and smiled confidently. "See?"

As she walked towards him, Smoke tapped his fingers on his cheek as if he were counting. By the third tap, her wound re-opened.

* * *

Because if her foolishness, Soraya had to stay in bed for a few extra days. She fumed during that time mainly because she was becoming restless, and because she embarrassed herself in front of Smoke.

When she was able, Smoke took her around the Lin Kuei temple.

"I feel like your babysitter…" He complained.

She couldn't help but to feel a little guilty. "Am I _that_ bad? I could go look around by myself…"

"It's not you." He reassured. "Besides, I can't let you walk around without an escort."

"And why not, Smokey?" She teased.

"First of all," He frowned. "_Don't_ call me that. Second of all, have you noticed the men around here?"

With that, she began looking around. Almost immediately, she regretted the decision. The men stared at her like she was the last piece of meat in the world. She shuddered; feeling violated, she stepped closer to Smoke, desperate for a form of protection.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I got your back."

She smiled for the first time and continued the tour.

His friendly attitude got the best of her and she finally warmed up to him. She joked along with him as the tour went on. At some point, she lost him during the tour and she had to wander around aimlessly by herself for a few good 15 minutes. Claustrophobia and anxiety got the best of her and she ran around looking for Smoke. When she did, he scolded her like a child.

"You would've been hurt!" He said and rubbed his temples.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered sheepishly.

"Doesn't matter…" he mumbled. "Dinner is starting soon. Do you remember where the dining room was?"

She grinned nervously. "Nope."

He sighed. "You have a horrible memory. Come, I'll take you there."

* * *

The dining room was enormous; that was something she couldn't deny. The tables stretched far and were covered with a pale blue table cloth. Shiny plates and cups awaited as you grabbed your food. Soraya and Smoke served themselves and sat down in one of the tables.

Soraya looked around, anxiously wondering when she'd see the Grandmaster.

"And here I thought you didn't like him." Smoke smiled.

"I don't know what to think of him." She answered honestly.

Before the conversation could continue, Soraya felt a pair of cold, clammy hands on her shoulders. She slapped the hands away and went back to eating.

"Well will you look at that!" A man behind her said. "The girl is feisty!"

Angrily, she turned around.

"I am a woman." She spat, her hands suddenly becoming _very_ warm. "_Not_ a girl. You _will _treat me with more respect. Now get out of my face."

With that, she turned around and continued eating. She heard the man scoff and he even had the nerve to sit down next to her. Smoke frowned deeply.

"What's your name, girl?" The man asked.

Her left eye twitched. "You _don't_ need to know." Her fingers twitched, desperate to hit the man.

He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Back off." Smoke hissed.

The man scoffed. "Go to hell."

She had enough. She grabbed his head and smashed it into the table. She then grabbed his heavy body and threw him off his chair and into the ground. She could feel everyone staring now.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to him that way!" She threatened.

"Soraya! Don't!" Smoke yelled.

The man stood up effortlessly and stomped towards her. "You've asked for it!" He got into his combat pose.

He charged for her and tried to punch her face. Quickly, she dodged his attacks and tackled him into a table. She punched his face mercilessly, forced him to stand up, and kicked him back to another table. He stood up again and tried to hit her. Again, she dodged his attacks but fell when he swept under her feet. He kicked her in the gut and laughed sadistically. She coughed multiple times before awkwardly standing up.

"What? Can't handle a punch to the gut?" The man laughed.

Fire blazed in her hands. "SHUT UP!"

Out of nowhere, the man's' body combusted into flames and he screamed in agony. As she stared at him wide eyed in shock, others tried to stop the fire. When they were done, his body had third degree burns.

She looked at her hands and they still glowed with the fire. Did she really…just kill the man?

…Good riddance.

"Soraya…" Smoke breathed. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know." She answered, still wide eyed.

"SORAYA!" Someone yelled out. Soraya looked at the exit of the dining room and saw the Grandmaster standing there with a grim frown. He cocked his head to the side as if to signal her to follow him.

She swallowed and made her way to the exit.

Maybe now they're going to kill her.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Well then, hope you enjoyed this edited chapter!_

_Reviews are love! _

_By the way, I don't want to hear about how cold Sub-Zero is. (No Pun Intended)_

_That's the way I perceive him and I'd appreciate it if you respected my view of him._


	3. Chapter 3: Let's See The Real You

Chapter 3: Let's see the _real_ you.

**A/N:** Here's the other chapter! Hope you enjoy it! Oh! And I'm changing the antagonist. Instead of it being Blaze, it will be Quan Chi and Shinnok ok?

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT own ANY of the MK characters. They ALL belong to their respective owners.

* * *

The Grandmaster sat at his desk, staring at me and tapping his fingers slowly on the mahogany wood, deciding what to do with my behavior. I, of course, sat in a chair trying to avoid his harsh eye contact.

What happened to that man that I burned?

Well…nothing good. I killed him…unintentionally of course!

"Soraya, what happened back there?" The Grandmaster asked. I looked up and sighed.

"Well…he was making advances towards me, I got angry and started fighting him, and the next thing I knew was he was on fire. I didn't mean to do _that_, though!"

"Uh-huh…well I think that's a good reason to smack him across the face, but to kill him Soraya?"

I could feel a knot in my throat. I didn't mean to kill him! Why does he want me to feel so _guilty? _

I looked at him straight in his powerful blue eyes. "I already told you, I didn't mean to do it!"

The Grandmaster frowned. "Fine then. I believe you."

"Thank you for believing me."

The Grandmaster looked at me again; his eyes had hints of curiosity. "Can you do anything else with that power?"

"I'm not sure…"

"You know, that kind of power may come in handy for us." My heart thumped wildly.

I stood up, "Does that mean I get to stay?" I asked happily.

The Grandmaster nodded, "Sure. Well, only if you want to." I sighed in relief and bowed deeply.

"It would be an honor!" I said smiling.

The Grandmaster seemed to have smiled.

The hands were shaking, and my heart felt like it was going to explode with happiness.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I'm just excited!" I said and my hands felt numb.

"You do know that you'll have to...you know..._kill_ people?"

"I am fully aware of it, Grandmaster." I said as I sat back down in one of the chairs. "I _know_ I can do such tasks." I said determinedly.

He nodded. "If that's what you want, then you are-Or should I say-will be an official member. You need to pass the combat test first."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

"Now, I could ask someone to teach you how to fight before you go to the combat test," He said, "Do you have anyone who you'd like to teach you?"

Let's see..."Smoke, perhaps?" I asked. "That is, if he doesn't have any other duties? I'd hate to keep him away from that."

He contemplated that for a moment. "I'm sure he'll be able to."

Um...

"Grandmaster?"

"Yes, Soraya?" he said, his blue eyes piercing mine.

"D...do you think you can help me control my powers?" I asked, looking at him innocently. My jaw clenched at the request.

"Yes. Of course!" he said, he seemed to have smiled again.

"R-really?" I asked my eyes widening. "I'm not requesting too much am I?"

"No. I have time during the night to help you."

"Are you sure?"

He chuckled. "_Yes_, Soraya. Are you _that_ scared to ask for help?"

I felt my permanent scowl come back. "It's not that I'm scared to ask for help", I uttered, "I don't want to become a burden, that's all."

"I see. Well, don't worry about it. Like I said, I have time during the night."

"O-ok then..."

Then, _that_ stupid thought crossed my mind.

"May I see your face?" I asked impulsively.

"My face?" He asked, confused. "Why do you want to see my face?"

I shrugged, "I just want to know what you look like."

He sighed and took off his mask. He...he was handsome. His Chinese-American features suited him perfectly; high cheekbones, thin lips, black straight hair that was smoothed back, a strong jaw line. With this and his strong, well-built body, he could get anybody. Even with that _beautiful_ scar that ran down his right eye, he could get anyone.

I looked away, trying not to stare for too long. Even if I wanted to keep looking at his admirable face, I wouldn't allow myself. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable and I didn't want to look like a freak.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"N-no. I just don't want to stare for too long." I said, looked back up and smiled gently.

"I don't mind." he said.

"Staring is rude." I retorted.

"Not when the other allows it."

I stayed quiet and felt the scowl come back on my face. "You may be right."

The silence came between us, but it wasn't awkward. I never minded the quiet, even if it was with someone I hardly knew; such as _him._

_"_I'm gonna go to sleep." I said and stood up. It's late and I must sleep if I'm ever going to practice tomorrow. I walked to the door, and opened it.

"Well..." he said, "Good Night." he finished lamely. But I couldn't help but to notice that he wanted to tell me _something_.

"_Que duermas con los angelitos y con dios_." I said, and smiled.

"What does that mean?" he asked, his eyes tired.

"Something...special." I finished and left the room.

I walked into my room, closed the door, took a shower, and got dressed for bed in a daze. I layed in bed and closed my eyes, letting the howling wind from the winter storm lull me to sleep.

* * *

As said, Smoke did teach me in the early morning. He was quick on his feet; nimble. But not as fast as I was; despite my heavy built, I managed to be as quick as he was.

I didn't see the Grandmaster at all today...which is strange since I see him talking with his advisors in the hallways sometimes. Perhaps he's in other part of the Lin Kuei base? Can't be too sure...

Oh well.

* * *

The night is here, and the Grandmaster is late. I stayed in the training room for a good fifteen minutes before I stomped angrily to his room.

I knocked on the door lightly first.

No response.

I banged on the door this time.

_No response_.

Hmm...how peculiar. I opened the door slightly and peeked my head in and looked around the luxurious room. I found him hunched over his desk, snoring lighty...

Sleeping.

I frowned. Did he really waste all my time _just_ so he could sleep? Well...I can't blame him. I guess he had a hard day; considering the fact that I didn't see him _at all_ during dinner time.

Hmm...

I closed the door and ran to the kitchen. Perhaps there are leftovers?

There was. I heated up his food, put it on a plate, and ran back as quietly as possible.

I opened the door to his room and let myself in. He was still sleeping...just like a newborn baby.

"Hey..." I whispered. He didn't respond so I shook him lightly. He stirred and twitched a little bit then looked up.

"Hey sleepyhead." I whispered and smiled gently. I put my cold hand on his cheek to wake him up a little bit more. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked around the room confused and disoriented; obviously still half-asleep.

"What time is it?" he muttered.

"Um...I think its ten-thirty." I said. That woke him up. He stood straight up and rubbed his eyes roughly.

"I completely forgot!" he hissed, "I was supposed to help you with your abilities!"

"Grandmaster it's ok." I said gently.

"But I-"

"Shut up." I interrupted, "I _know_ you're tired. And you deserve some rest! Have you even eaten?"

"No..." he admitted.

I smiled triumphantly. "Then it's a good thing I brought you food. Now eat."

The Grandmaster didn't have to be told twice. The ate the whole thing like a wild animal! The nerve of him...

He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I'm tired." he sighed.

"Then sleep."

"But I said I would teach you-"

"We can do it tomorrow." I interrupted _again_, except more gently.

"Fine." he pouted.

"Good night Grandmaster." I said and took his plate.

"Good night...oh and thank you for the food."

"Your welcome." I said and began to leave the room. But not before he stopped me.

"Soraya, what did you tell me last night?"

"The spanish phrase?" I smiled.

"Yes..._that_."

"It means _Sleep with God and the angels."_

He frowned and crossed his muscular arms. "I don't believe in _him_."

"Neither do I." I said and grinned.

"Then why would you say that?" he retorted.

"It...doesn't matter." I said and walked out before he could ask anymore questions.

Well...that was...awkward.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ I know its not my best! I'm trying so hard to write as much as possible! The next chapter will be told by Sub-Zero's POV ok? I hope you enjoyed the update!

Review please! :)


	4. Chapter 4: A Small Wish

Chapter 4: A small wish

_**A/N:**_Hello! I hope you enjoy this new chapter! _**I changed my mind, This is still Soraya's POV ok?**_ Oh, and thank you YellowGrenade, Super Jupiter, and Rose for those reviews! I get excited and all the more motivated when I read them :) I'll try and update this story every week or every _other_ week ok? Around a saturday or sunday. That way, you'll know when you can come and check in for the new chapter. Ok! I'll stop talking now! Enjoy! :D

_**Disclaimer:**_ The MK characters belong to their respective owners. **_NOT ME._**

* * *

Someone shook me awake. I opened my eyes and saw Smoke standing over me, looking at me impatiently.

"Wake up, Soraya." I heard him whisper.

"Ngh...five more minutes..."

He shook me harder. "C'mon! You said you wouldn't be late today!"

"No! You can't make me!" I hissed.

I could've sworn I heard him smile. "Don't tempt me, Soraya."

I shooed him away and closed my eyes. Smoke sighed and said, "You've asked for it."

He pushed me off the bed roughly and I fell to the floor head first.

"Hey!" I yelled.

"Shut up you brat!" he hissed. he grabbed my legs and began dragging me to the door.

"Wait! I take it back!" I yelled desperately, "Let me go! I'm in my robe and everyone will see me!" I clawed the floor, hoping I could find something that could help me.

"Good." he said, "Consider that your punishment for disobeying me. Maybe they'll have a nice time looking at your-"

I interrupted him by throwing one of the pillows that fell along with me to his face.

"Ugh! You're so stubborn!" he growled and kept pulling me. Using my willpower, I held on to the door frame with all my might.

"Fuck it." I heard him say and grabbed my waist and put me over his shoulder.

"Let me go!" I yelled and punched his back.

"No. Shut up." he said. I could tell he was smiling just by the way he spoke. Halfway through the walk to the Training Dojo, I gave up. I mean, I really can't stay mad at him forever. He's...too cute to stay mad at.

"What's wrong, _Princezna?" _Smoke asked, "Are you mad that I woke you up from your beauty sleep?" he chuckled.

"Don't you _dare _call me a princess!" I muttered.

"Well you act like one sometimes."

"Can I walk now?"

"Pfft! And what? Let you run off?"

"I won't! I promise!"

"Yeah, you always say that."

I sighed. "Fine then..."

"Look I'm sorry I acted that way ok?" he said. "Grandmaster wanted to see you today, so that's why I had to drag you out."

"What?" I yelled and started kicking and freaking out.

"GRANDMASTER CAN'T SEE ME LIKE _THIS_!" I howled out. "I'LL LOOK LIKE A FOOL AND-AND-"

"WILL YOU CALM DOWN?" Smoke shouted and threw me to the floor.

"Smoke you _have_ to let me go change!" I shrieked as I stood up.

"Will you come back?"

"Will you drag me back?" I challenged.

"Yes." He growled stepping closer to me. "Even if you're half-naked! Now go!"

I didn't need to be told twice. I ran back to my room, changed, and ran back. To be honest, I think I put my on shirt backwards...

"Go. Grandmaster is there waiting for you." Smoke said. I speed walked into the dojo and bowed respectfully to the Grandmaster.

"Good Morning." I said.

"Good Morning, Soraya." he smirked. "I trust you were woken up peacefully?"

"Uhh...yeah sure!" I said. Smoke owes me for saving his ass.

"Good! I wanted to help you with your abilities today, to make it up since I didn't show up last night."

"Y-you don't have to! R-really!" I stuttered.

"But I must!" he said. "You did that kind favor for me last night, I owe you one."

"But what about your other duties?" I asked.

"I can do them later."

"But I-"

"Soraya, you wouldn't want to disobey your own Grandmaster now would you?" he said and stepped closer to me, his height intimidating me. I wish I wasn't so short. And of course I'm not going to defy him!

"N-no..."

"Alright then." he said. "Let's start!"

* * *

"Like this?" I asked and held out my hand. Almost immediately, my hand was surrounded by a bright fire. Smoke decided to watch as I practiced and he looked into the fire and smiled gently.

"Yes!" the Grandmaster said. "Now try to spread it."

"Won't that burn off my clothes?"

"...Maybe..."

"Can you turn around? You know? Just in case?..." I muttered.

"Yeah..." and he turned around. Smoke did the same thing as well.

As instructed, I let the fire spread all over my body. Ironically, it felt...soothing. I let the fire disappear, and miraculously, the fabric was ok! No sign of a burning piece of cloth.

"You can turn now!" I said.

"That's strange..." he said as he turned around slowly. "It doesn't burn off...hmm whatever. I shouldn't be surprised."

"Yeah..."

"Is there anything else you can do_?" _he asked.

"Well...I kinda did find out something..."

"Which is?"

"Let me show you." I smiled. I took a deep breath and blew water out of my mouth. The bubble shaped water stayed floating in the air, gracefully. The Grandmaster stared at it with an unreadable expression. He looked so...stupified.

"I can morph it into anything!" I said. "Look!"

I morfied the floating water into an elegant butterfly. The butterfly flew to him and he stared at it, smiling softly.

"This is...marvelous!" he said.

"I know!" I grinned excitedly.

"I have to teach you how to teleport."

"Eh?" The water fell to the ground. I...I wasn't ready for that.

"Yes...I'm sure you can do it!"

"Perhaps we're getting ahead of ourselves...?" I asked worriedly

"Of course not! If you can do that, than I'm sure you can do other things!" he said.

"Do you know how long it took me to do that? I practiced in my room almost all night _just _so I could learn how to keep the damn water in the air!"

"Nevermind then...I'm still gonna teach you." he said.

"Ok then."

We were silent for a few moments before I spoke up. "Grandmaster, do you have any abilities?"

He stared at me for a moment, then said "Yes."

"What can you do?"

"I control and manipulate ice."

"That's so..._awesome_!" I said. "Can you show me a few things?"

"Of course." he said and suddenly a large kori blade formed in his hand. It looked incredibly keen.

"That looks like it would hurt.." I gulped.

"Oh trust me, it does."

"So I'm guessing you can freeze people?" I asked.

"Precisely."

"Damn you!"

"What? What did I do?" He asked.

"Nothing." I shrugged. "I just wish I had your ability."

He smiled a little then let drop to a frown.

"I have to go now." he muttered, and walked out without any kind of dismissal. Why was he...so _down_ all of a sudden? Smoke walked next to me and tapped me with his elbow.

"So what _kind_ of favor did you do for Grandmaster?" he asked, grinning suggestively.

"Smoke!" I hissed. He laughed a little bit.

"I'm just kidding, Soraya."

"Do you know why Grandmaster is...down?"

"Oh that? He's just mad because tomorrow's his birthday. He's always moody when it comes. And plus, he won't be here for it."

I stared at him and smiled. "Tomorrow's his birthday?" I whispered.

"Yes! But just don't tell anyone. He'd rather keep it a secret." He said, and instinctively, looked around for anyone listening to our conversation.

"But wait, why is he leaving? Will he be gone for the whole day?"

"Not for the whole day, just for the afternoon. He's leaving to see..._some people _that he used to know." He said.

"Oh...so he's bitter because it's his birthday, and he won't be able to take it easy tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Oh..."

"Well anyway, since he's leaving, I'm going to be in charge...got it?" he looked at me suspiciously.

"Yes, Smoke."

"You _will_ listen to me."

"No promises!" I snickered.

"Soraya!"

"I'm just kidding, Smokey!" I smiled.

"I told you not to call me that!" he fumed, his face becoming a tomato red.

"Ok ok. I'm sorry." I said gently. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"Smoke, what's your real name?"

"I don't think I should tell you."

"I won't laugh." I said. Smoke frowned and looked at me doubtingly.

"You will!"

"No I won't I promise!" I said and clung to his arm.

"Fine...it's Tomas. Tomas Vrbada."

"Tomas..." I mused. "I...like it. It reminds me of a little kid throwing a tantrum." I said and smiled. Smoke stood there with a stupified expression.

"Tantrum?" he asked. "Are you refering to the fact that I have a short temper?"

"Perhaps..." I grinned and wrapped my arm around his. "I promise I won't say your real name in front of people." I pulled myself closer to him. I could feel him cringe at the sudden intimacy, but he didn't push me away; instead he smiled.

"How is it that you become so physical around me?" he asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "You remind me of a big brother that I wish I had."

"Well then, _sestricko*_, I'll escort you to your room."

"_Gracias, hermano*_."

* * *

In the morning, I woke up in high spirits. I took a shower, changed into my uniform, and went to the dining hall for breakfast. I was itching to find the Grandmaster and to wish him a good birthday! Around the afternoon, I looked everywhere for him. Eventually, I found him within the men's hallways...which Smoke said I was absolutely not allowed to be in without an escort.

And I could see why.

The men there were...horrible!

As I walked there looking around the Grandmaster, some of them would stare, whistle, or just plainly say vulgar things _straight_ to my face. One of them even tried to grab me...until I retaliated by punching him in the face...while my hand was on fire. I left him a colossal burn mark on his face.

He'll be fine.

Grandmaster was talking to a few men, which I guessed were a few of his council members. So I waited until they were done talking and I walked up to Grandmaster shyly. I tapped his muscular shoulder lightly.

"Oh, hello Soraya...wait, what are you doing here? I thought Smoke told you not to come here!"

"Oh he did."

"Then why?..."

"I came to tell you something!" I grinned.

"They didn't do anything to you...did they?" he asked, his expression filled with concern.

"No. Well, one guy tried to grab me but I punched him in the face!" I said, beaming with joy.

"Ok...well...what did you need to tell me?"

"Happy Birthday!" I whispered. Grandmaster's eyes wilted and his shoulder's slumped. I tried very hard _not_ to laugh.

"It was Smoke wasn't it?" he muttered.

"Yeah!"

"God damn it..."

"Are you mad at me?" I asked sadly.

"Does anyone else know?"

"Nope!" I said."He only told me." Immediately, he recovered from his gloomy mood.

"Thank god!" he sighed in relief. "Well thank you Soraya." he said.

"I hope you have a good day visiting your old friends."

His eyes became darker at the sentence. "Yes...I hope I do to." he hissed, and walked away from me.

I guess those old friends aren't so nice.

* * *

_**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter my viewers. I hope it wasn't too boring for you. Review!_

_Thank you for reading! :)_


	5. Chapter 5: Tomas Vrbada

Chapter 5: Tomas Vrbada.

_**A/N:**_ Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it! I _love_ reading them! Especially you, **SuperJupiter**! :D Summer Vacation just started so I'll probably be posting and updating more irregularly. Anyways, onwards! :)

**_Disclaimer:_** I **DO NOT** own any of the Mortal Kombat characters that are used in this story.

* * *

**"Are you kidding me?"**

**"That's a stupid idea!"**

**"I'm not going to waste my time on that!"**

**"Cleaning is a woman's job!"**

I sighed. Apparently, this wasn't a good idea. During dinner, I asked the men if they could help me clean up the _whole_ base for the Grandmaster's arrival. Obviously, it's not going too well.

Smoke is somewhere in the base watching over the warriors practice, and he gave me the assignment of watching the others as they ate dinner.

What a _splendid_ idea, Smoke.

"It was merely a suggestion," I muttered. "You _don't_ have to be so rude. _Especially_ to me!"

"Whatever..." the tallest man said. "Besides, why would we want to help _you_? Out of all people?"

"...Why not?" I asked. "What's your name?"

"Ali. And the reason _we_ won't help you is because _you_ are a bitch."

"That's because you make me into a bitch!" I retorted. "Need I remind you of what happened last time?" My hands were beginning to spark flames.

"Oh yeah...that..." he muttered and unconsciously touched the scar on his cheek.

"Please! Just help me clean up!"

"Why do you even want to clean up?" Ali asked. The rest of the men followed up with agreeing with him.

"Because, all of you are animals." I hissed. "Besides, this place smells like a bunch of smached assholes."

"She has a point..." a man said. The rest followed by glaring at him.

"This is ridiculous..." Ali grumbled. "Ok, I'm going to help you. But just so you can shut up!"

_"ALI!" _All of the men yelled.

"What? Do you really wanna keep discussing with her?"

"It's not that," a man said. "We just don't want to help."

"Oh trust me, _you will._" Ali hissed, stepping closer to him. "The more people we have, the faster we finish. And the faster we finish, the faster _I_ can go to sleep and forget about this whole situation."

The men sighed and groaned in defeat.

"Do you promise _not_ to ask for such an absurd favor, _ever_ again?" Ali asked irritably.

"Do you promise to not harass me again?" I asked.

"Oh, I can't promise that." he purred, placing his heavy hands on my shoulders. I slapped him across the face and stepped on his toe with full weight.

"OW!"

"That's what I mean by becoming a bitch." I grinned. "Now, will you all help me please?" I asked gently. The men groaned and proceeded with the task, ignoring Ali's wincing and whining.

* * *

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING?" Smoke asked, befuddled.

"Helping me clean." I said simply.

"WHY?"

"Because they can, and because they agreed to it."

"Soraya..." Smoke pleaded. "_Why_...are you doing this to me? Tell them to stop!"

"But they're almost done..."

"They're not supposed to be doing that. They're supposed to be training!"

"But they're doing something good and learning hygiene and responsibility." I said.

"It's the servants job to do that!"

"Look see! They're all done now!" I said. The warriors headed into their rooms grumbling and mumbling in annoyance. "No harm done." I shrugged.

Smoke frowned and he pinched the area between his eyebrows. "You're lucky they finished before Grandmaster came back."

"Oh please, what's the worst that could happen?", I retorted skeptically. "He'll probably just lecture us on crap about how we don't follow his rules."

He sighed and crossed his arms. "Yes...you're probably right."

Smiling, I grabbed his arm. "C'mon, let's go to my room. I'll braid that godforsaken hair of yours."

"Braid?" Smoke frowned. "I don't like them."

"Please?" I pouted. Again, he sighed and he agreed.

* * *

"Would you like a French braid, or a fishtail braid?" I asked as we sat down on my bedroom floor.

"...Does it matter?" he asked.

"Fine, I'll make you a fishtail braid." I grumbled and began parting his long white, soft hair. He stayed quiet for the most part, not that it surprised me. He really wasn't the type to start a conversation, and that was perfectly fine by me; I don't mind the silence. Especially with someone as tranquil as he was. Halfway through, however, I was desperate to hear his serene voice.

"Tomas?"

He flinched at his name. "Yes, Soraya?" His voice lulling me, the way it normally does. I blinked trying to concentrate.

"Where are you from?" I asked innocently, hoping it the question wouldn't offend him. "..You don't have to answer if you don't want to!" I quickly added.

Instead of hearing his voice become raspy in irritation like it usually does, I heard his musical chuckle.

"Are you _that _worried that I'll get mad at you for asking a personal question?"

"No." I lied quickly.

I heard him smile. "You're lying."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are! I know you well enough to know!" he laughed.

"Ok fine..." I admitted. "Maybe I was a _little_ scared that you get mad at me."

"I could never get mad at you."

"But you always do!" I retorted.

He chuckled. "Then I guess you don't know me well enough to know when I _actually_ get mad."

"Hmm..."

Briefly, we stayed silent.

"...I was born in Prague...in the Czech Republic." He started. I listened carefully, willing to hear everything. "I really don't remember _all_ the details," He continued. "Like you, I lost my memory of my childhood; I only remember bits and pieces."

I tied his braid, finishing it, and moved beside him, coaxing him to continue.

"When I was around...12 this _cult_," he spat out angrily, "abducted me from my family. They took me...and burned me alive."

He was quiet for a moment, frowning. I could feel his anger pulsing out of his body; It was giving me a headache.

"They sacrificed me to a demon. When I was came back to the mortal realm, I came back as an enenra, a creature of smoke and vapor. _That's_ how I got my powers."

I swallowed. "And what of the cult members?"

"I killed them." He hissed his frown becoming deeper. "_And_ I made sure they suffered!"

I flinched at his violent, uncharacteristic remark. "I-I'm sure you did..."

"Eventually, I got my human form back. Then the Lin Kuei found me and took me in because of my abilities." He finished.

There was an eerie, awkward silence between us. I've never seen Tomas this angry, so I stayed quiet. Meanwhile, Tomas fumed for few moments, trying to find his inner piece again.

"...I'm sorry." He said.

"For what?" I asked, though I avoided his dark eyes.

"For getting angry. I shouldn't be getting so violent infront of you."

"I don't mind."

He laughed darkly. "Really?" he hissed, his voice drpping with heavy, cruel sarcasm. "You don't mind knowing that I'm a monster? An undead creature? If you were smart, you'd be running away from me."

"I'm _not_ afraid of you, Tomas."

"Liar." he mumbled

"I'm not lying." I said. "You said it yourself: If I was afraid, I'd be running away by now."

He sighed and crossed his legs indian style. "You're right." He turned his head and looked at me for a moment.

"What?" I asked self-counsiously.

He took off his face mask and revealed his smile, and his handsome face for the first time. And such a cute smile it is. "You just remind me of someone."

"Who?" I asked, his sudden bright mood making me grin.

"A little girl I knew when I was a child." he said.

"Was she a friend of yours?"

He nodded nostalgically. "When I was kid, my mom let a little girl and her father stay with us for a year. During that time we would always play around."

"Aww..."

He eyed me for a moment again. "She looked just like you." he said. "Brown hair," he grabbed a handful of my long hair. "Brown eyes, pale as a ghost." He touched my cheek softly. I could feel my stomach turn into knots at the sudden gentle intimacy.

He gasped sarcastically. "Is _mladší sestra*_ blushing?" he grinned.

"Leave me alone." I grumbled. Tomas laughed gently.

"Don't be so ashamed of blushing." he said and stood up. "I must go to sleep now. Grandmaster should be coming soon and I'm positive he'll want us asleep before he gets here."

"Wait." I said and stood up and hugged him. "_You're not a monster to me_, Tomas."

"Thank you, sister." he let go and left my room silently.

"If anything," I whispered to myself, "You are beautiful."

* * *

_**A/N: Cheesy ending, I know. But I do consider Tomas cute and adorable even he is a demon :)**_

_**Thank you for reading! Reviews are welcome! :D**_

_****__mladší sestra*= Its another way of saying "Little sister" in czech :D_


	6. Chapter 6: The Shadow

Chapter 6: The Shadow

_**A/N: **Hello! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm sorry I haven't posted. Procastination is a disease I haven't delt with. But enough excuses! Onwards! :)_

**_Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Mortal Kombat characters that are used in this story._**

* * *

_"Now, this is your room, darling!" The woman said, her chocolate brown eyes glowing beautifully._

_"Thank you, Mrs." I replied curtly. The woman nodded and went on her way. I began unpacking my clothes and putting them where they belong._

_When I finished, I went outside. The lady's son was there and I have yet to introduce myself! He was sitting in the backyard, on the grassy floor._

_I walked quietly to him, then poked his shoulder. The boy turned around with angry brown eyes._

_"Hello!" I cheerfully said. "My name is Soraya! What's yours?"_

_The boy scowled and looked away. "...Does it matter?"_

_"Well of course it does! If we are to become friends, then we must know eachother's names right?"_

_"You...you want to be friends?" he asked, his eyes widening in surprise._

_"Yes."_

_The boy stood up and brushed away the remaining grass that stuck to his shorts. His eyes were noticeably softer, kinder._

_"I'm Tomas." He said rather shyly. "Tomas Vrbada."_

_"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tomas!" I said. "You know what your name reminds me of?" I giggled._

_"What?"_

_"It reminds me of a little boy throwing a tantrum!"_

_Tomas frowned. "Just because I have a bad temper-"_

_I took his hand in mine, interrupting his sentence. "C'mon! Let's go play!" I said and ran towards the nearby forest. I looked back at his face and saw his face turn a bright red. I giggled as we kept running._

* * *

My eyes shot open.

What an odd dream...

I stood up and proceeded on changing into my novice uniform. The day that I'll be allowed to burn this wretched clothing, will be the happiest day of my life.

I left my quarters and walked to the training room. Smoke will be very surprised to know that I woke up early.

I walked into the training room to see Smoke sitting on the floor, meditating. I crept up behind him and poked his shoulder. He jumped a little, not anticipating my presence.

"Ah, good morning Soraya." He said while standing up. "You actually managed to wake early today?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Smoke."

He nodded. "Well then, let's get on with training."

I sighed, not actually ready for anything.

"Now, last time you were trying to learn defensive techniques," he said. He took a quick glance at me before looking away. "Which you are having trouble with."

"You know I'm better at hitting than blocking." I yawned.

"Well, you'll learn how to!" He stood infront of me.

"Are we really going to do this exercise again?" I whined. "My face is still sore from last time!"

"Yes. Now stop complaining." He said. We began doing-as we liked to call it-a mock battle. It consisted of slow movements such as punching, slapping, kicking, anything really. It sounded easy the first time he suggested it, but it wasn't. Smoke always took me by surprise and would suddenly hit me as quick as possible. He said it would teach me how to defend myself, and to think quickly, but I'm not making good progress.

"Remember _not_ to get distracted." He said.

"I'm not going to-" I was interrupted when he slapped me across the face. Hard.

"I told you not to get distracted." He grinned.

"That's because you were speaking to me,_ bastardo*_!" I hissed as I held my cheek.

He ignored me. "Again." he said.

Ok then. I not going to back down this time. We began our mock battle again.

* * *

I blocked his attacks easily now. We weren't doing that dang mock battle anymore, now that I got the hang of it. Now...we were actually fighting.

He pulled me towards him and threw me over his shoulder. I landed harshly, leaving me breathless. I moved out of the way before he could kick me. I swept under his feet as I stood up. Grumbling, he stood up and charged towards me. I blocked most of his attacks, except for one which knocked me to the floor.

"Come on, Soraya." he encouraged. "You can do this."

I stood up and faced the other attacks. I found an opening and head butted him. While he was distracted, I punched his face twice and kicked him to the floor. I panted as I relished in my victory.

"Very good, Soraya." He grunted. I walked over to him, and helped him stand up. "You're becoming better every day."

"Thank you, Smoke." I smiled. "...Do you think I'll be allowed to wander out of the Lin Kuei territory?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well...I would like to explore some of the area down there..."

"It's just a dead forest Soraya; nothing special." He muttered.

"It may be just a dead forest to you, but I really need to leave this place for awhile." I retorted. "Do you know what it's like to be a woman _surrounded _by perverted men?"

"Hmm...no not really." He grinned.

"Tomas!"

"Calm down!" he said and sighed. "Look, you can go ask the Grandmaster. But be a little tolerable when you speak with him."

"Why?"

"He came in late last night and well...he's not in the best of moods."

"Alright then." I said. "I'll see you soon." I walked out of the training area and went to go look for Grandmaster.

* * *

I could see why Grandmaster was such in a horrible mood. When I found him, he was with the novices, training them.

But it wasn't_ that_ that grabbed my attention; It was his eyes.

His eyes were a little puffy and bloodshot. His skin was a little paler too. He mustn't have slept well last night.

"You want to leave the Lin Kuei territory?" he hissed. "What for?"

"I wanted...a little time for myself. That's all."

He rolled his eyes and pinched the area between his eyebrows. He even blinked a little.

"Alright then. You can go."

"Thank you, Grandmaster." I said and bowed slightly.

"You _better_ be back before the sunsets." he threatened. "Understand?"

"Yes sir." I said and walked out of the area.

* * *

It took me awhile to get to the dead forest. Winter is still here, so snow covers most of the enormous trees. Along my walk I encountered a colossal waterfall. I stayed there most of the time. Eventually, I got bored and walked deeper into the forest.

I made sure I stepped into the right places, hoping I wouldn't let my clumsy feet trip over anything. Then I heard a ghostly chuckle. It sounded so near.

"Who's there?" I asked out loud. A dark shadow grabbed my foot as I walked, and tripped me!

"Ugh!" I yelled. "Show yourself!" I stood up quickly.

"No need to get so angry, darling." A deep voice said. I looked up and saw a muscular man sitting up in a tree. He was wearing all black. I couldn't see his face since he had a mask on. He jumped down, and stood up. I could feel his white eyes looking at my body. His eyes lingered at my face.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You'll know soon, sweetheart." he said and walked towards me. I stood absolutely still, making sure my face showed no hint of emotion.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked. "Are you not afraid of being alone?"

"No. I just came out here for a walk."

He chuckled. "Interesting."

"...What are you doing here?" I asked. He stopped a few feet away from me and crossed his arms.

"Nothing really. Just lingering...messing around with people stupid enough to be here."

"Like me?" I asked.

"Yes, exactly."

"So you're a sadist?"

"I guess you could say that."

"You like...making people feel humiliated...you like having that power." I mused.

His eyes twitched and he tilted his head slightly to the side. "Do you know the feeling?"

"Perhaps..." I said.

His eyes twinkled in delight. "Do you like seeing people in pain?"

"Only those I hate." I admitted.

"Do you like the dark?"

"...Yes."

"How interesting!"

I stayed silent for a moment. His eyes never left mine, mine never left his.

"I've never met someone who liked the dark."

"I'm sure you haven't."

He stepped a little closer. I resisted the urge to back away.

"What are you afraid of?"

"U-um..." his sudden close proximity was overwhelming me. I could hear him chuckle a little.

"You can tell me." he coaxed.

I backed away a little. "I-I..." I couldn't breathe. He pushed me against a tree leaving me little space.

"Tell me." he insisted.

"Strangers." I admitted. He pressed himself against me. I struggled, desperate for a way out.

"What else?" he snarled. Grabbing my jaw, making sure my eyes never left his.

"T-tight spaces."

"Is that all?" he asked. I could tell he was enjoying this.

"Yes!" I kicked him in the stomach. "Now go away!"

He held his stomach for a moment. "Are you afraid of me?" he teased.

"Just because you managed to use my fears against me, doesn't mean I'm afraid of you." I hissed.

"...Really?" he asked, amused.

"Yes really," I said. "...I probably shouldn't ask this...but are you going to hurt me?"

He laughed for a moment. "No. _I_ _like you_ _too much_."

Like? This man is insane.

"What's your name?" I asked, irritated.

"My name is Noob." he said. A oily black figure came out of him. It looked exactly like him. "This," he said as he motioned his hand towards it, "is Saibot."

"Well Noob...Saibot...I must leave."

"But I don't want you to leave." Noob said in a mocking tone.

"Shut up. I'm going to leave!" I hissed and began walking away. The last thing I heard from him was his ghostly chuckle.

* * *

"Did you have a good time walking in the forest?" Grandmaster asked as we walked to dinner. He was in a better mood now.

"Well I was at first..."

"What do you mean?"

"I encountered someone...his name was Noob Saibot."

"...Excuse me?" His eyes looked disturbed. "Did he do anything to you?"

"Well, he just kind of provoked me...but that's all."

"Don't leave the Lin Kuei territory_ ever_ again, do you understand?" his eyes were filled with consern.

"But I-"

"_Don't _question my orders, Soraya."

I sighed. "Yes sir."

"Do you promise to stay out of the forest?" he asked, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Yes." I vowed.

"Good." He muttered. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

I wonder, why is Grandmaster is so worried?

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ That'll be all for today folks! :) I hope I kept Noob in character. If not, then go ahead and tell me what I should improve on in the reviews! :)  
Reviews are love! :D_

_*Bastardo- The spanish/italian word for "Bastard"_


	7. Chapter 7: SubZero: Being A Teacher

Chapter 7: Being a teacher- Sub-Zero

_**A/N: Changing P.O.V's!**__ This chapter shall be told by __**Sub-Zero's**__ perspective. __**I'm hoping that I won't**__**make him too OCC**__. __**seriously guys; I'm petrified that I will**__. If I make him too OCC, __**TELL ME. **__I want to make this story __**enjoyable for all of you**__! So please, if there is anything wrong with this chapter, tell me! Plus there's a fight scene in this chapter…and I'm not good at writing those kinds of things. So if I mess up on something, don't be surprised ok?_

_Enjoy! _

* * *

"I think that's a stupid idea." I mumbled. The evening weighed heavily. All I really want right now is a good night's sleep. But then, Smoke came into my office with this absurd idea:

He thought it would be better if I trained Soraya from now on. Frankly, I don't want to.

"Why?" Smoke grinned, obviously enjoying himself. He was sitting on one the chairs in front of my desk with his arms crossed.

"From what I hear, she's bad tempered, stubborn _and_ she always arrives late." I said. "Why would I want to work with her?"

"Because she's just like you." He chuckled. I glared at him.

"Pfft. Whatever…"

He rolled his eyes. "You work with her during the night. What difference would it make if you taught her during the day?"

"I teach her for thirty minutes _a day_," I retorted. "_You_, on the other hand, teach her for two hours a day. And besides, I have to be with the recruits most of the time."

"…I could take your job." He suggested.

"No," I said inflexibly.

"Look," he said as he put his hands on the mahogany desk, "She won't treat you that way; she respects you too much to do that."

"_Why_ do you want me to teach her anyway?" I hissed, tired with this debate.

"Despite the fact that she's a…cynical woman, she's intelligent; she learns quickly. You can teach her more; you have more experience than me. And, you have the patience that most people like her need."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "Fine," I grumbled.

"Thank you, Kuai."

"If she becomes defiant, what should I do?"

He grinned. "Normally, a good scolding should get her up and about," he explained. "If not, there's this pressure point on her wrists that you can use against her."

I can already imagine the ways I'll be using that to torture the poor woman. The thought almost made me grin.

"But don't think you'll be using it _all _the time, you cruel bastard." He smiled. I smirked a little.

"So you_ will_ be teaching the recruits?" I asked, after a moment of silence, just to be sure.

"Oh…I thought you would forget about that." He laughed. I smiled widely and chuckled quietly along with him.

"I'm just joking. Don't worry I will be teaching them." He said.

"Good."

"And don't worry about Soraya, Sub-Zero," He reassured. "She means well. She treats you the way you treat her." I nodded dubiously

"I still can't believe you told her about my birthday." I pouted. His eyes became cold and unsympathetic.

"Oh please, what's the worse she could've done?"

"Tell everyone."

"You're so uptight." He whined. "She can keep a secret!"

I completely ignored him, caught up in my own thoughts. "Imagine, she told _everyone_ and they're all planning some sort of surprise party?"

"You're an idiot."

"And you're an ass."

He laughed a little. "So?"

"How does Soraya deal with you?"

"We're both insufferable, so we get along." He smiled and I rolled my eyes. He stood up from the chair.

In a high-pitched girly voice he said, "Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story before I leave."

I tried not to smile. "Just go to sleep."

He flipped his hair back with sass. "Oh my god, you're such a jerk!" Ok, I had to laugh a little at this. I threw a pencil at him and shooed him away.

"Go to sleep." I ordered.

Back in his normal voice, he said, "Yeah yeah sure…" and closed the door behind him slowly.

Finally, some peace and quiet…

I took a shower, dressed for bed, and went to sleep.

* * *

Morning came a little too fast. I sat up on my large canopy bed, wishing I could sleep a little more. But for this kind of situation, it doesn't matter what I want. I dressed up in my Lin Kuei uniform and went on to the Training Dojo _praying _that somehow she would be there. Which, by some miracle she was. Except, for some bizarre reason she was on the floor sleeping.

I poked her back with my foot, trying to wake her up. She mumbled something incoherent and twitched slightly. I sat down next to her and moved her again.

"Soraya…" I mumbled. "Wake up."

She lifted her head suddenly and sat up quickly. "Good Morning Grandmaster!" she said while rubbing her eyes. I helped her stand up and she wobbled a bit.

"Good Morning Soraya."

"Where's T- I mean Smoke?" she asked, her wavy light brown hair covering some of her round, yet attractive face. Did Smoke really tell her his name?

"He's training the novices." I said matter of factly.

She kept massaging her hands. "Isn't that your job?"

I frowned a little. "Yes it is. But we had an agreement last night and from now on, I will be teaching you instead." I was hoping that she would freak out and insist that she wanted Smoke back. But that wasn't the case. Instead, she stared at me with an unconcerned expression for a few moments before saying, "Ok then. It's not like I can argue on your decisions."

Why did she have to be so…rational at the wrong time?

"Well…let's get on with it." I muttered.

* * *

"I can't do this!" She yelled and stomped her feet on the ground in aggravation. Thank the gods I have my mask on; she could've seen me smile at her frustration.

"You're doing fine."

"But I keep messing up…" she said unenthusiastically.

"So? How do you think I was when I first started?"

"Terrible?"

"Of course I was," I said. "Well…I wasn't as bad as you are…but still…"

"Gee, you're _so_ encouraging." She hissed scathingly, her eyes suddenly becoming sharp.

I crossed my arms. "_An expert in anything was once a beginner_." I quoted.

Her honey eyes became a soft again. She shrugged and said, "That's true…"

"Look, don't think about it too much," I said gently. "Just…try."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Alright…here goes nothing…" she mumbled. Water abruptly formed in her hands and took the shape of a perfect ball. She morphed it into a razor-sharp kunai.

She smiled widely as she stared at it. "I did it!" she said cheerfully.

"Very good." I said and grinned slightly under my mask, "Try something else."

Fire swallowed her left hand. And she let the fire turn into a blazing sword.

"Excellent!" I said. "You're making good progress!"

It didn't seem like she was listening to me. She was still playing around with her new creations.

"Look Master!" she grinned. In her hands was a tiny heart made out of water. Inside the water was a bright flame. I smiled a little.

"You _do_ learn quickly." I said, feeling a little guilty for misjudging her.

"I try." She said smiling widely, showing her alarmingly sharp white teeth.

"Master…what's your name?"

"For now, call me Sub-Zero." I said. She seemed a little…hurt that I didn't trust her as much as Smoke did. But she didn't argue; she went to make other things. She didn't speak much after that. She sat down and kept practicing. I watched silently, making sure she wouldn't get hurt by her own creations.

"Sub-Zero?" she said after awhile.

"Yes?"

"…Who was that man? Noob Saibot?" she asked with a hint of fear in her words; as if she knew it was a touchy subject. I bit my lip, wondering if I should tell her. She looked in my eyes with honest curiosity.

"…My brother." I said tentatively. She looked surprised and stood up.

"Your…brother?"

"Yes…" I said. "He's dangerous, Soraya. You _will_ stay away from him, do you understand?" I asked quietly.

She stayed quiet for a moment; the look on her face was unfathomable. She stood up and soon enough that gentle smile returned to her face.

"Are you sure you've never made mistakes before?" She asked trying to lighten up the moment. It worked.

Arrogantly, I said, "Of course not!"

"Liar!" she accused. "Smoke told me that once you fell two flights of stairs because you were practicing your ice slide!"

I rolled my eyes. "He tells you everything doesn't he?"

She giggled. "Yes he does."

"I remember that day." I said nostalgically. "I couldn't stop sliding and I fell. He didn't even bother helping me up; he just fell to the floor, and laughed like a hyena for fifteen minutes."

She laughed musically for a moment. "Sounds like something he would do." She said. "And what happened to you? Were you injured?"

"I had bruises, but that's about it."

She shook her head with obvious amusement. "_Ay tu_!*"

I dismissed the topic; I shouldn't get distracted with speaking with her.

"Well then, let's see how well you are in combat." I said. "From what I hear, you're quick."

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "And who told you that?" she asked.

"Smoke…"

"He flatters his students too much." She said.

"Or maybe _you _just don't think you're good enough."

She stayed quiet and looked away.

"Come at me." I said ready for her.

"Oooh…you sound so terrifying!" She mocked. She ran towards me and instead of coming straight at me, she slid under my feet, tripping me in the process.

Ok…_maybe_ there is an advantage to being so short like she is…

"Come on Sub-Zero," she said. "I thought you were better than this!"

I stood up irritably and charged at her. She jumped over me, teasing me. Smoke wasn't joking about her being quick…

I froze her feet to the ground, immobilizing her.

"This isn't fair!" She said while struggling to unfreeze her petite feet.

"All's fair in love and war." I grinned. I kicked her in the stomach, sending her a few feet away. She stayed on the floor, clutching her abdomen. Sparks ignited her hands, and she stood up angrily. She sent a fire ball at my direction, and while I was distracted she came towards me and tackled me to the floor. She hit my face a few times before kicking me away.

I slashed her twice with my kori blade, sending her a few feet away.

She stood up stubbornly. "I won't back down!" She cried and charged towards me again and tried to hit me with her flaming fists. I smiled at her resilience and pushed her head to the ground.

"Let me go!" she hissed.

"You have a lot left to learn, novice." I said and let her go. She stood up and blew her hair away from her face.

This will be quite the experience.

* * *

_**A/N:** I hope I didn't make him too OCC. TT_TT_

_Reviews are love! :)_

"Ay tu!"- Spanish for "Oh you!"


	8. Chapter 8: The Truth

Chapter 8: The Truth

_**A/N: Soraya's P.O.V. **__This chapter is for those who need an explanation. I wanted to save these kinds of feelings for another chapter but…I think it's better if I do it now. I think it's time I added a little humanity to Soraya. Which I've been told that she's been lacking. I haven't been writing…like I should be. So I hope this adds that…dark feeling it needs. I hope you enjoy this chapter…_

* * *

_The blank look is haunting…_

_The charred skin makes me nauseated…_

_I feel twisted…like a monster…_

_Make it go away…_

* * *

My chest felt like it had a hole straight through the middle.

I gripped the pillow and held back the urge to scream. That dream…

_It was horrible._

Even if I didn't feel anything at first, it's hitting me like a deadly disease now. The man I burned in the dining room…I killed him. And he didn't deserve it. Even if he made me angry, _he didn't deserve it._

I wonder…

How am I to become one of the Lin Kuei if I can't handle the person I murdered?

I have to be strong…

_I have to be._

How is it that I couldn't feel anything at first? Was it because I felt satisfaction in his death? And only _now_ I'm feeling that monstrous feeling?

How can one person have the audacity, the inhumanity, and the guts to feel that way? To feel bliss in those kinds of actions…

I just want it to go away.

* * *

I walked to the Training Dojo in a daze. I couldn't concentrate; I was clumsy, and I occasionally bumped into people. I didn't even have the heart to say hello to Smoke like I usually did in the mornings.

I just hope Sub-Zero doesn't notice my blank state of mind.

He's my teacher, not a damn psychiatrist; why would he care?

I stumbled into the Training Dojo and found him looking at one of the decorative statues in the room.

"I'm...I'm here." I said quietly as I walked up to him. He took a final glance at the statue before turning around.

"You're late." He stated quietly.

"I-I know…I-I'm sorry." I said pathetically. I could feel that hole getting bigger. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Are you alright?" He asked, looking directly in my eyes, and I think I found sympathy in them. I avoided his eye contact and tried to breathe.

"Yes. I just couldn't sleep last night..." I said. My hands felt weak. I looked up and found him staring at me, trying to figure out something.

"Don't look at me." I hissed. Immediately, he frowned.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"I'm sorry!" I said. "You didn't deserve that…I'm sorry. I'm just...I can't…" I couldn't finish.

He sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. The contact stung. It wasn't because I didn't like it; it was because I felt like a monster…

Monsters don't deserve contact…especially from kind people like him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"… Do you remember when I burned the man?"

He sighed. "How could I forget?"

"…I haven't been feeling good about it…"

"You seemed indifferent about it the first couple of days…why is it bothering you now?"

Should I really admit that I felt_ joy_ in his murder? I stayed quiet, not knowing if it was worth saying anything. What if he's disgusted? What if he…

"…You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He said.

I sighed. "When I killed him, I felt satisfied." I admitted. I looked up thinking I would see a look of shock, rather I saw a look of...honest curiosity.

With a little more confidence, I said, "And I didn't feel anything for awhile…but then I realized that I shouldn't be feeling pleasure for killing another human being, even if I thought he was a nuisance."

"So how do you feel about it now?" he asked.

"Like a monster; a fiend; a dangerous creature." I said, my voice cracking a bit. "I felt…angry at myself for feeling happiness in his death…I don't think you would understand…"

He stayed quiet for awhile. "I do." He said.

"You…you do?"

"Yes…not too long ago, I killed for money." He said rather shamefully. " I was happy that I got the money…but just because I was trained to be an assassin, doesn't mean I enjoyed it most of the time. Sometimes, I did feel like a monster as well; it never feels good to kill someone else, even if he was considered to be evil. Even now, I'm still trying to get used to it."

I nodded solemnly.

"Trust me; you're not the only one. Smoke and I feel the same thing."

"Then…why don't you and Smoke leave?" I asked. "You won't have to be an assassin anymore."

He sighed, and then said, "It's complicated. I grew up with the Lin Kuei and…they're my brothers; I can't just leave them."

"I see…"

"Do you even want to be a part of the Lin Kuei?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes! Well, it's…complicated." I said. "I...can't just leave Smoke…or you…" I said timidly. He chuckled a little.

"Well, it's nice of you to think of us that way, but we're not forcing you to stay." He said.

"I know…I know…but you two are like family to me, considering that I don't remember anything about my relatives."

"I forgot to ask you about that…" he murmured. "How are you um… feeling about that?

"I…really don't know what to think of it." I said. "I mean, sure I would _love_ to know where I came from and what not but…I guess I accepted it. If I lost my memory, then I lost it. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try to remember."

"I see…"

"I'm sorry!" I said.

He frowned in confusion. "About what?"

"I didn't want this to be a therapy session or anything that's all…" I said, twirling my hair nervously. "I just didn't want to waste your time."

The frown disappeared. "You're not wasting my time, Soraya."

"O-ok…"

"Look, why don't you take the day off? Clear your head?" He suggested.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I hope you're not feeling pity for me…"

"It's not that." He said. "I've been in the same position as you. I know what you would want."

"Well…thank you." I said. "For listening…and everything…"

"It's nothing." He shrugged.

"Again, I'm sorry for doing this."

I think he smiled under his mask. "You shouldn't be."

I smiled a little and went out the room feeling slightly better. The hole is closing little by little…

But it will take some time for it to fully recover.

* * *

_**A/N:** …I hope you enjoyed the chapter. And…I'm sorry for not writing this when I needed to. I was careless not to. But I can't really do anything about it now right? I hope I didn't make Sub-Zero too OOC…_

_Reviews are love! :)_

_And for all those who reviewed, Thank You! I appreciate it._


	9. Chapter 9: Being a Friend

Chapter 9: Being A Friend

_**A/N:**__**Soraya's P.O.V **__I hope you enjoy this chapter. This…will probably clear out a few things I hope…and also, I'm sorry if this story is so slow paced. But either way, I'm going to keep it slow paced. It makes things a lot more…enjoyable? Hmm I don't know the word. Hope you enjoy! :)_

* * *

"_You're leaving?" Tomas asked, his voice cracking a little. He had a frown on his face, obviously angry at the fact that I'm leaving._

"_Father says it's time for us to leave." I said while packing my clothes. "He said we've stayed here for far too long. He said it would be dangerous if we stay here."_

"_Dangerous?" He asked, confused._

"_Not even I know, Tomas." I admitted. "My father said that it's better if I didn't know."_

_His face got red and his fists clenched. "Fine then!" he hissed. "Leave _me_ then!" His eyes began tearing up. I walked up to him and hugged him tightly._

"_You knew I would be leaving soon." I said. "So why are you so sad about it?"_

"_I just didn't think it would be so soon." He said and hugged me back. "I thought it would be in a few weeks or something like that; not in three days!"_

_I let him go. "I know I know…me too."_

"_Do you promise to write me letters?" He asked anxiously._

"_Yes of course!" I said. _

_He helped me pack up, and the next thing I knew, I was standing by the door with my father. He looked down at me and smiled a little. He had caramel skin, honey eyes, and short black hair._

"_Father, why are we leaving?" I asked sadly. "Why can't we stay?"_

_His expression turned gloomy. "You'll know one day, _Mija_*" He said, placing a large hand on my shoulder. "For now, don't question it, _entiendes_*?"_

_I sighed, unsatisfied with his response. "Yes, father."_

_My father looked at Tomas's mother. "Thank you for letting us stay with you for the year." He said. "It truly means a lot to me and to my daughter."_

"_Oh it's nothing!" Tomas's mother said. "After all…you _are_ just trying to protect her."_

_Protect me from what?_

"_Tomas come and say farewell to our…guests." She called out. Tomas appeared in a few minutes and shook my father's hand shyly. He came to me and hugged me tightly._

"_I'll miss you." He whispered. He let me go and he went to his mother's side._

"_Goodbye." My father and I said in unison. I waved goodbye to the both of them. The last thing I saw before turning around was Tomas's unfathomable expression._

* * *

I opened my eyes slowly, and felt the mother of all headaches in my head. I sat up and looked around. Multiple books lay on my bed, mainly the ones explaining brain patterns, memory loss, and all that good stuff.

How long did I stay up last night reading these books?

I sighed and proceeded to take a shower, changing into my novice uniform, and putting my long hair up. Maybe I should get a haircut…

It's been a few weeks since that little "talk" with Sub-Zero happened. I feel a little better now, and hey, ever since I had that talk with him, I feel more relaxed around him. That's…a good thing right? And I've been able to remember a few things too like my age and birthday, and a little about my family. But…I still can't get over the fact that I've been having those strange dreams. Could they be my memories? It's…probable. And for some reason, I can only remember…happy memories.

But didn't I just dream about leaving Tomas?

Or, to be more specific, I can't really remember horrible memories. I can remember my mother…but then…

What happened to her?

Did she leave me and my Father? I mean, she couldn't just magically leave my memories now could she?

And to be honest, I don't remember how I lost my memory. I couldn't have been hit; there was no form of head trauma when the Lin Kuei found me.

Anyway, I haven't gotten much from the books. I mean, sure I learned _a lot_ about the brain…but it doesn't seem to have the kind of memory loss that I'm looking for. I sighed and grabbed the thick volume. Luckily, I woke early so I'll have enough time to read some more.

"Let's see…" I whispered and opened the book to where I left off.

_**Psychogenic Fugue:**_

_A rare psychiatric disorder characterized by reversible amnesia for personal identity, including the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality. The state is usually short-lived (ranging from hours to days), but can last months or longer. Dissociative fugue usually involves unplanned travel or wandering, and is sometimes accompanied by the establishment of a new identity._

Hmm…sounds close. I skimmed through a few words and found another possible disorder.

**Retrograde amnesia:**

_(RA) is a loss of access to events that occurred, or information that was learned, before an injury or the onset of a disease.__RA is often temporally graded, consistent with Ribot's Law: more recent memories closer to the traumatic incident are more likely to be forgotten than more remote memories._

Ok…we're getting somewhere.

_RA can occur without any anatomical damage to the brain,_ _lacking an observable neurobiological basis. This can be referred to as Psychogenic Amnesia or Psychogenic Fugue._ _The onset of psychogenic amnesia_ _can be either global (i.e., individual forgets all history) or situation specific (i.e., individual is unable to retrieve memories of specific situations)._

"_**Unable to retrieve memories of specific situations…"**_

Just as I was about to read more into it, someone knocked on my door. As humiliating as this sounds, the knocking scared the oblivion out of me.

"C-come in…"I said, still a little shaken by the knocking. Sub-Zero came in muttering a few words before stopping to look around my room.

"…Why are there so many books here?" He asked.

"I was reading about the brain, and different types of memory loss." I said and frowned suspiciously. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure that you weren't sleeping." He said. "I don't want you to be late like last time."

_Or the times before that…_

I smiled a little, closed the book and stood up. "Well, I'll go put these books back in the library. You can wait for me in the Training Dojo." I said. I grabbed the books only to have some taken away from me by Sub-Zero.

"Oh no it's ok!" I said nervously. "Really, I can do it!" I don't want to become a burden, especially to my master.

He gave me a quick glance before walking towards the door. "I'm helping whether you like it or not." He said. I rolled my eyes, walked out, closed the door to my room, and walked along with him.

"So did you find anything that might've helped you?" he asked.

"I believe so." I said. "I _think _I have Retrograde Amnesia."

"That's when people forget about the events before the injury right?"

"Smart man." I smiled.

"I try." He said. I grinned and dismissed his slight arrogance. We walked the rest of the way in silence. Not that I minded, of course. Eventually, we got to the Training Dojo.

"Have you been practicing like I've been asking you?" Sub-Zero asked.

"Yes sir!" I said. His eyes crinkled up a bit, signaling that he was smiling. Just thinking about him smiling made me get butterflies in my stomach. Thank god I'm wearing a face mask…

"Well then, show me what you've learned."

I took a deep breath and showed him as I spoke. "I've been able to morph water more easily into weapons; however, I'm still working on my fire abilities. And also, I can evaporate, boil, and freeze water at will. And…I'm still working on teleporting."

He crossed his arms. "Impressive. And to think you learned that in only a few weeks."

I put my arms behind my back and looked down. "Fast learner I guess…?"

"Well it's either that, _or _you've been practicing more than you need to."

"Perhaps a little bit of both?" I chuckled nervously.

He rolled his eyes. "I told you not to practice during midnight!" he said. "I appreciate the fact that you're trying so hard, but I also don't want you to worn yourself out!"

I sighed shamefully. "I guess you're right. Besides, not sleeping makes me a little distracted."

Ok, perhaps I wasn't distracted because I was tired. It was because I would stare at him when he wasn't looking. I can't say that I like him though; I only like him in physical terms.

"Let's begin." He said.

"Wait…I wanted to ask you something."

He raised an eyebrow, obviously waiting for me to say something absurd. "What is it?"

I fidgeted nervously. "Can we skip training today?" I asked quietly.

He laughed a little. "Why am I not surprised that you would ask that? No."

"Please?"

"I said no."

I walked up to him and placed both of my hands on his broad shoulders, which was somewhat awkward since he was so tall…and I'm so short.

"Please?" I asked again.

"No."

I shook him slightly. "Why not?"

He grabbed my wrists. "Because I still need to teach you about how to use your abilities during combat; your fighting skills haven't improved much you know." He still hadn't let go of my tiny wrists. The close proximity was too much to me…but I ignored it. I can make an exception for him…

"Please?" I asked again. "You need a break and I need one too!"

He chuckled a little. "You're just saying that so you can skip training today."

"No seriously! C'mon!" I insisted. "We'll…we'll take a walk together…"

_Did I really just say that?_

I felt weak; like I would turn into a puddle of goo at any second.

He let go of my wrists and crossed his arms in a skeptical manner. "A walk? Together?"

Nervously, I began stroking the tips of my hair. "Well…yeah sure! I-I mean the snow is beginning to melt a-and it might be nice just to go for a walk and to clear our heads…don't you think?"

_God help me._

He stared at me for a second. "Well…you might be right…"

"So…is that a yes?"

"Sure why not?" He said. "You lead, I'll follow."

I smiled widely; I felt so excited! "There's this nice place by the river, I'm sure you'll like it when you see it!"

* * *

We walked outside quietly and I held on to my dark cloak that I wrapped around my shoulders. Even if I had nothing to say, I was eager to show him favorite spot! He walked beside me in silence. For awhile, we didn't say anything.

"You seem rather calm today…" Sub-Zero said quietly.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's just that…you're always so _loud_ with Smoke." He said.

I looked down rather upset at myself for being such a nuisance. "R-right…I'm sorry if my…noisy attitude bothered you."

"Oh don't worry, it never did!" he said quickly. "I just couldn't help but to notice…"

"I'm just different with each friend I guess." I murmured. "Like when I'm with you, I'm quieter."

"Wait…you consider me a friend?"

I smiled. "Of course, what else would I consider you? I mean, just because I'm your student doesn't mean we can't be friends right?"

"…Yeah." He said, his eyes crinkling up a bit.

"Oh! It's right over here!" I said eagerly. I ran to the small snow covered area and Sub-Zero followed behind.

"This is the place?" He asked rather curiously.

"Yeah! I know that once spring comes, all of these dead trees will be sprouting and it will become a beautiful meadow!"

I took off my facemask and put it in one of my pockets. "You should take off yours!" I suggested cheerfully.

"No thanks. I'm good."

"Oh c'mon! No one's around here anyway! Besides, it would be nice to let your face feel the cool air, hmm? "

He rolled his eyes and took off his mask.

"I don't see why you have to make such a big deal out of it." I giggled.

"Well first of all, it's to conceal my identity. Second of all…this scar isn't exactly a pleasant sight to see."

"Well I like it." I blurted out impulsively. I felt my cheeks burning up. Why did I say that? I didn't have to! God…I bet I look like an idiot; red-faced, fidgeting nervously.

He put a hand over his mouth, and if I wasn't mistaken, he was grinning.

"Is that so?" he asked.

I looked down and avoided his eyes. "Well, yes I do actually."

He laughed a little. "Why?"

"Don't laugh at me!" I whined feeling my face turn even redder.

"I just think it's amusing at the way you act." He said. "I've never seen you so…shy."

_I only am with you._

I laughed awkwardly. "Is that bad?"

"No…not at all."

I stayed quiet, hoping that my blush would go away, which it unfortunately never did.

"You never answered my question." He said, looking at me gently.

Oh…_that_ question.

How can I say that I like his scar because it just made him look more…handsome? Sexier? I can't say that! Not at all! He'll think I'm a freak!

"I guess I've never minded scars." I said truthfully. "They're not ugly to me; rather a scar makes me curious about it."

"I see…"

"Like for example, how did you get that one?"

"It was on my first mission." He said. "I came face to face with an enemy whom who had a knife and then…_this_ happened."

"I know this might sound like a stupid question…but did it hurt?"

"Very. Oh, and there is no such thing as a stupid question...just stupid answers."

I smiled a little. "That's true…but still; sometimes people do tend to ask rather ridiculous questions." I scowled.

He chuckled. "I agree…"

"Do we have to head back now?" I asked.

"Hmm…yes I believe so."

I took the mask out of my pocket. "Well, thank you for coming with me." I smiled. "I appreciate the company. I had…fun."

He put on his mask. "So did I." he said. "And you're welcome."

"Do you think…that we could walk again some other time?" I asked shyly.

"Well of course!"

My eyes widened involuntarily. "Really? Are you sure? I wouldn't want to—"

"Yes." He interrupted half-heartedly. "I'm sure."

"If you say so…" I said. "And I'm sorry for um…freaking out. I just don't want to become a burden or anything."

"You never are a burden, Soraya."

I nodded, smiling a little. We walked back to the base in silence. But, luckily, it wasn't one filled with that awkward essence.

* * *

"I saw that." Smoke said when Sub-Zero had left us alone. When we got back, Smoke was waiting for us so we could eat dinner together. He wasn't wearing his mask…which was strange.

"Saw what?"

That stupid, familiar grin formed on his face. "You and Sub-Zero taking a romantic walk." He said mockingly while fluttering his eyelashes.

My eye twitched and I felt my cheeks burning. "It wasn't anything like that!"

"Yes it was." he laughed.

I rolled my eyes and scowled at him.

"You like him don't you?"

I looked away. "I can't say I like him. I just like him…physically."

"But he's gay." He said. I stared at him, wide-eyed, and in shock. Smoke observed my reaction for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

"I was joking!" He laughed.

I sighed in relief and giggled along with him.

"The look on your face…" he murmured. "Priceless."

I rolled my eyes again. "C'mon, let's go eat; I'm starving."

"Whatever you say _princezna_."

"I told you not to call me princess!" I hissed as we walked to the dining room. He smiled and I couldn't help but to smile back at him.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ And that's it for today! I'm sorry I haven't been updating! Skyrim sure is addicting…and well I am trying to take my time on this story. So if it is a little slow paced for you, I'm sorry. I hope you enjoyed! Reviews are love! OwO


	10. Chapter 10: Kuai's Problem

Chapter 10: Kuai's _Problem_

_**A/N:**_ Hi Hi! :D Here's the next part! And I hope you like it! I kind of miss having a little humor in this story so I'm hoping this doesn't ruin anything…Enjoy! ^_^

_**Disclaimer:**_ I obviously don't own** ANY** of these MK characters.

* * *

"My whole body hurts." I complained to Smoke late at night. It's been a few days since the walk with Sub-Zero and nothing interesting has happened since then. Smoke was walking me to my room at the moment.

"Sub-Zero's not going easy on you, is he?"

"Of course not."

He chuckled a little. "Well that says a lot."

"What do you mean?

"He sees potential in you, so he challenges you frequently."

I smiled a little. "Well that's nice…" I opened the door to my room and allowed him inside.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"What is it?"

I took off my face mask and threw myself on my bed. "Yesterday, in the morning, I offered Sub-Zero coffee, and he looked…embarrassed and he refused. Was there a reason for that?"

Smoke laughed a little. "He can't drink coffee."

"Why not?"

"Apparently, his body takes the caffeine…differently."

"So?"

"He gets hyper." He said. "And by that I mean he goes crazy."

I smiled widely and sat up. "What does he do when he drinks coffee?

Smoke sat on my bed. "I remember one time; he tried to jump off of the Lin Kuei base." He laughed. "And when I stopped him, and he finally calmed down, he told me, '_I thought I could fly_…'".

I laughed loudly. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, and that's one of the reasons why he fell down the stairs." He explained. "I mean, think about it, he's not that stupid to not be able to stop his ice slide."

"Then how come you told me that he was—"

"That was a cover up story. He doesn't like it when other people know about his…'_problem_'."

"I see." I smiled. "I wish I could see him hyper."

"It's something…unforgettable." He chuckled.

I grinned mischievously. "We should give him coffee…"

"Don't bother. He doesn't drink anything that's dark. And besides, coffee has that distinctive smell and taste so he'll recognize it."

"You said caffeine right?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Let's give him one of those…sports drinks and we'll lie and say that it's a new soda." I smiled.

"Well, let's save that for another day." He chuckled. "I don't think he'd ever forgive us if we'd let his students see him that way."

"Right…"

He stood up. "Good night, sister." He said gently.

"Good night!" I said as I watched him leave the room and close the door gently. I took a shower, changed into my pajamas, tucked myself into bed, and went to sleep.

* * *

I woke up sprawled and twisted around my bed sheets. I looked at the digital clock that sat at the end table that was right next to my bed.

_2:00 A.M_

Why the hell would I wake up at this time? My stomach growled loudly and I sighed. I sat up and looked around blindly in the dark for my silk robe. I put the robe on, left my room and walked to the kitchen.

"Hmm…" I mused as I looked at the giant pantry that was filled with all sorts of ingredients.

Well…there's a jar of Nutella…but I can't just eat it by itself! I bit my lower lip and kept looking around. Within a few moments I gave up and settled with making eggs. I got the eggs and pan and looked around for the oil...which was unfortunately in the highest cabinet.

"Ok…I can do this…" I muttered and jumped up and down to grab the bottle. Unsurprisingly, I couldn't reach. I stomped my foot in frustration and pouted. Why do I have to be so short?

I heard a musical chuckle behind me. "Do you need any help?"

"Good lord!" I yelled and turned around. It was Sub-Zero, and he was grinning; obviously trying to contain his amusement. His hair wasn't smoothed back as it usually was…but it looked nice on him.

"You scared me." I muttered, feeling my cheeks turn red.

"I know…" he said. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I got hungry." I said scratching my head awkwardly. "And you?"

"I had to finish some paperwork."

"And are you finished?"

He scowled. "No. I keep procrastinating…"

I giggled. "What do you mean?"

"I start writing on the papers…and then my mind just wanders off or I nibble on the pencil."

"You silly man." I giggled. "Well I understand…I always procrastinate too."

He reached up and grabbed the oil bottle for me. I thanked him and went on to making my eggs.

"Would you like some help with that paperwork?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't want to keep you up."

"Oh no it's perfectly fine!" I said. "I'll help you if…we start training later than usual." I grinned.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course _you_ would ask for that." He said. "Ok then. We'll start later."

I put the eggs on a plate. "Ok! What can I help you with?"

"Can you forge signatures?"

"Yes."

"Ok then. Just put my signatures on the paper."

"That's it?"

"Yes…"

I nodded. "Alright then!" I grabbed my plate and followed him to his huge room. There was a huge stack of papers on his desk.

"I can see why you've been procrastinating." I smiled. He didn't say anything and sat on the chair. I sat on the one that was placed in front of his desk and waited. He scribbled on a filter paper and handed it to me.

"Can you forge that?"

"It's a little complicated but yes, I can."

"Good." He placed half of the stack in front of me. "These have already been completed but it just needs the signature."

"Alright then." I grabbed the pen and started working. As I kept writing his signature down I figured out his name…

Kuai Liang.

It suited him. And I liked it…a lot. I looked up and saw a blank look on his face.

"Kuai…" I giggled. He looked at me and blushed.

He blinked, realizing "You see? I keep getting distracted…" He grumbled.

"There's nothing wrong with that." I said. "I mean, I can't blame you; paperwork is boring."

He chuckled. "Yes…it is…"

"You know…I still don't understand why you'd let me know your signature."

"Because I know you won't do something stupid with it."

"So…you trust me?"

"Yes." He said. "To a degree."

It bothered me to hear that he didn't trust me enough…which was strange. I don't need him to trust me…

Even though I want him to…

Well, I guess it's better than nothing huh? We worked in silence for awhile and I ate my eggs.

"Smoke told me about your err…'problem'." I smiled.

Within seconds, you could hear him groan in embarrassment. I tried _very _hard not to laugh but I allowed a grin on my face.

"I didn't know that coffee could make you fly…" I giggled. The look on his face…was priceless; his cheeks were a bright, tomato red and he was pouting.

"Leave me alone…" he mumbled.

That did it. I laughed loudly and he crossed his arms.

"Maybe you should leave now." He scowled.

"Oh don't be such a drama queen!" I said. "I'm just teasing you…"

"That was…probably the most embarrassing thing I've ever done in my whole life."

"Well…at least you weren't running around butt-naked." I said, trying not to get the image into my head. "_That_ would've been worse."

He considered it for a moment. "That's true…but still…"

"Do you feel happy when you drink coffee?" I asked. An obvious question…but I'm curious.

He grinned. "Oh yeah…"

"I wish I could see you hyper…" I said.

The grin disappeared and the scowl came back. "No you don't."

"And if I do?"

"You won't."

"But what IF—"

He threw a piece of paper at me, interrupting my rambling.

"You won't." He said with a sense of finality.

I pouted. "Well! If you insist…"

We scowled at each other, waiting who would break first. I've got to admit though; his frown was much more intimidating than mine. Eventually, I couldn't handle it and I grinned again.

"What's so funny?"

"You're so adorable when you're grumpy." I admitted. His expression went to total confusion but his cheeks turned a little pink.

"Adorable…?"

"Yes you silly man!" I giggled. "Are you done with those?" I asked pointing at the papers, and hoping that it would be enough to make him forget about what I said.

"Yes but…I can do these by myself."

"So is that all the help you need then?"

"I think so…"

"Alright then, I'll let you finish up." I said and stood up. "Good night, Kuai!" I picked up my plate and began walking out the door.

"Good Night Soraya."

"Oh and don't worry, I won't use your real name in front of anyone!" I promised.

He smiled gently. "I know you won't."

I nodded, left his room, left the plate in the kitchen, went back to my room, and went to sleep.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Well…that was a short chapter! XC Sorry I haven't been updating. I'm starting my school orientation this Wednesday and it finishes at the 10th of August so I really won't be writing. Plus I'm starting school on the 27th and I'm getting a graphic tablet to draw for my fellow friends on Deviant ART so…

I'll be pretty busy! ^^;

I hope you'll all understand!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I wish you a good day! ^_^

Reviews are love! OwO

_**P.S:**_ Does anyone know what the "Hits and Visitors" thing means in the Story Stats? I don't understand it…


	11. Chapter 11: Shadows Consume

Chapter 11: Shadows Consume

A/N: I'm baaackk! :D I missed you all so much. I hope you like this chapter!

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the MK Characters used in this story.**_

* * *

"Something's been bothering me…" I said to Smoke late at night. I was in his room since he said he wanted to show me something. Smoke was rummaging through one of his drawers, looking for said item. A few days passed with the same old routine and…

It's been nice, actually.

I've been helping Kuai Liang finish his paperwork whenever I could. But to be honest, I only did it to see him, not because I wanted to.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

I struggled to say the words; what if I'm not supposed to know? "How come…Kuai's brother is…you know…_that_?"

He stopped, turned around, and looked at me right in the eye. "…Do you really want to know?"

"Yes…?"

"You sound unsure."

"I just don't know if I'm…_allowed _to know."

"I see…" he mumbled.

He looked at me for a moment before he sat next to me on the floor. "I'll tell you what I know." He said. "Just try not to talk about it in front of Sub-Zero."

"Why not?"

He hesitated. "He prefers not to speak about it; it's a touchy topic for him."

"I see…"

He was quiet for a moment. "His name is Bi-Han. He was murdered by a man named Scorpion."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why would he kill him?"

"He did it because Bi-Han murdered him first."

"I don't get it…"

"Scorpion is a spectre." He explained. "When he was killed by Bi-Han, he was sent to the NetherRealm. A sorcerer named Quan Chi revived him and…"

"Scorpion avenged himself…" I finished.

"Exactly."

"Please don't tell me it's just some story you're making up."

"Does it look like I'm lying?" he asked irritably.

I looked at him carefully. By now, he would've had that mischievous spark in his eyes. But he didn't and he sounded sincere…

"No…"

He nodded a bit. "Like Scorpion, Bi-Han was sent to the NetherRealm…"

"Quan Chi…made him like that didn't he?"

He nodded slowly.

"How sad…" I mumbled . "How was Sub-Zero when Bi-Han died?"

"He was devastated, to say the least."

_I'm sure he was…_

"So…what did you want to show me?"

His eyes perked up. "Oh yeah! I forgot…" He went back to his drawer and soon enough, pulled out a little MP3 player.

"How'd you get that?" I asked.

He grinned. "I stole it on one of missions."

I rolled my eyes. I don't feel like having a discussion about stealing.

"Does it have any music?"

"Of course it does!" He said. "I always hack into the computers here and put music in it. I share it with Sub-Zero sometimes…"

"Does he even know that you stole it?"

He grinned. "Nope and I don't plan on telling him."

"It's wrong to steal…"

"So you're telling me that we can _murder_, but not _steal_?"

I fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well when you put it in _that_ way…" I took the MP3 from him gently, wanting the conversation to end. "Can I use it tonight?"

"Sure I don't see why not." He smiled. I smiled back and stood up at the same time he did.

"Good night, brother." I said, suddenly feeling the urge to embrace him.

He patted my head soothingly. "Good night, sister."

I walked out of his room and closed his door. I looked down the gloomy hallway and felt…anxious for some reason; even the hallway seemed darker tonight. Using the small light from the MP3, I walked back to my room.

Paranoia swept through me, giving me chills. I rushed into my room and closed the bedroom door. I rushed as I dressed for bed.

Before I turned off my lamp, I noticed something different about my shadow.

It was...hauntingly bigger than it normally was. I stared at it, expecting it to move.

And it did.

The shadow cocked its head to the side in curiosity. Suddenly, the room felt colder. I swallowed in fear and slowly slipped into the covers of my bed. Maybe it's just my imagination…

I turned off the lamp and put the headphones on. I chose a song called, "The Scientist".

It was a soothing and relaxing song. Maybe it could be my lullaby…

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep...

* * *

_The forest was beautiful._

_Lush green grass, tall trees, and flowers in all sorts of colors. The sun was setting, giving the environment a peaceful vibe._

_I looked to my right and saw a little boy on a tree. The boy was undeniably beautiful. Big blue eyes, light brown curly hair, fair skinned, and a round face that had a slight blush and a cute nose. I walked up to him and crossed my arms._

"_What are you doing up there?" I asked._

_He giggled, showing his dimples. "Remember? We're hiding from Father."_

_I narrowed my eyes and put my hands on my hips. "And who is your Father?"_

"_Oh Mother don't be silly!" He giggled again. "You know full well who Father is."_

_I widened my eyes a bit. "_Mother_?"_

"_Yeah! Remember what you said Momma?" He asked. "You said to call you that because you don't like it when I say your real name."_

_I looked at my hair and it matched the boy's hair color. But those blue eyes…_

_There's only one person I know who has those beautiful icy eyes…_

"_What's your name?" I asked, a little shaken._

_He rolled his eyes. "My name is Dante, mom!" he said, growing irritated. "You know that!"_

_Dante…_

_Wait…I just remembered. That was _my_ father's name…_

_Dante jumped down and grabbed my hand. "Father's coming!" He said. "Quick! Run with me!"_

_He ran while holding my hand. I didn't turn around though…_

_I was scared to see his face._

_But at the same time…_

_I wanted see _his_ face. _His_ black, short hair…_

His_ icy eyes…_

_I want to see _him_…_

* * *

I couldn't breathe.

Something or _someone _was on top of me. I crawled out of the covers and looked around to see what was bothering me.

Absolutely nothing was on top of me. I just saw a dark, cold room. I looked to my side and read the clock.

_1:00 A.M_

I rubbed my eyes and sighed; my chest ached. Not in a painful way. Just in a way when you miss someone. And I know exactly who I miss:

Kuai Liang.

I literally slapped myself across the face. _Why_ am I missing him? Is it because I've been spending a little too much time with him lately? I'm sure it's nothing.

Besides, people tend to develop meaningless fancies anyway!

_And_, he's my teacher, for god's sake!

A really handsome, kind, and wise teacher at that…

I mean sure, he's a little stubborn and somewhat cold but-

I slapped myself again. "No! Bad girl!" I hissed quietly. "Don't think about him!" Maybe I should take a walk and clear my mind…

I put on a coat, some boots, and a hood to cover my face. I didn't look like it was very cold but it's necessary to take precautions. And for the hell of it, I put Smoke's MP3 in my pocket. I sneaked out of the base and walked to the forest. And for my own sake, I stayed within the Lin Kuei territory.

I wouldn't want to face Bi-Han. That is, _if_ he's even there.

The moon was high up and shining bright giving me enough light to navigate throughout the forest. Even though it _was_ cold, it was nice to walk alone.

I still wonder though…

Was Bi-Han a kind person?

Smoke sounds indifferent towards him and Kuai Liang obviously refuses to speak about him. But then again, Kuai was saddened when he died…I'm sure he was a good person.

Or at least I'm hoping he is.

After all, what's the worst that he could've-?

I looked up from my feet and saw a dark male silhouette; he was about twenty feet away. His eyes were a brilliant milky white and his hair was short and white. I squinted, hoping to get a better look at the man. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but I hesitated. What if it was an enemy?

I widened my eyes a bit when I saw the familiar patterns of his black silk attire. Only...he was obviously missing his black hood.

"Bi-Han…" I breathed. I turned around and began walking away quickly. My heart pounded anxiously. I turned around and saw that he was gone. I sighed in relief and took the MP3 out of my pocket. I felt strong arms pick me up from the ground.

"H-hey!" I protested. I elbowed the stranger in the face and I instantly fell to the ground. I looked up to see Bi-Han backing away while holding his nose.

"Stay away from me!" I hissed and began running away. It wasn't long until he sent Saibot after me who easily tackled me to the dirt. Saibot kept my head to the floor and I struggled to breathe. He then disappeared and Bi-Han picked me up from my coat. He grabbed my neck and pushed me against a tree, choking me.

"Stop…" I breathed, feeling dizzy. As if it weren't enough, he squeezed harder.

Eventually, darkness overcame.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Look at that cliffhanger! XD I _hate _cliffhangers so I'm going to update _**very soon**_. Originally, this chapter was going to be _long_, but then I was decided, "Eh, why not make it a cliffhanger instead?" So I did XDD. And if you are wondering, _yes_ I always thought as Bi-Han having _**white hair**_ as wraith. I don't know why, it just suits him.

Muahaha! I'll see you all soon! ;D

Reviews are love! ^w^


	12. Chapter 12: A Piece of Innocence

Chapter 12: A Piece of Innocence

_**A/N:**_ Hi hi! Ok…here's the other part. School's starting soon so…I might not be able to write for awhile. But anyway, enjoy! ^w^

_**Also, there are people who write anonymous reviews. (You know who you are ;D) I DO NOT MIND THEM. BUT, I prefer to have someone write an official review so I can thank them personally ok? But if for some reason you can't get an account here on FanFiction, then that's ok.**_

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own ANY of the MK Characters used in this story.**_

* * *

I opened my eyes slowly, unwillingly. I was lying on my stomach on a hard, rough surface. I faintly heard the sound of water dropping and it was really humid in here…and dark too…

Where am I?!

I felt a hand massaging my scalp gently, soothingly. Recent events flooded my mind.

_Bi-Han…that cheeky son of a bitch…_

I stayed still, knowing that anything sudden movements _might_ result in my death. I heard footsteps and I closed my eyes; pretending to sleep.

"_So this is the girl?" _A man asked. Bi-Han suddenly put his hand on my neck and squeezed possessively.

"Yes." Bi-Han answered.

"_Are you sure?" _The man asked.

"I've been following her for almost a year; I'm more than sure." Bi-Han said matter-of-factly. "Besides, she fits the description of the Eve People."

Eve People?

"_Then let's do this." _ The other man said.

Bi-Han's grip on my neck tightened. "No."

"_No?" _ The man scoffed angrily. _"I've waited a long time for this. You know that!"_

"I just wanted some time alone with her…" Bi-Han said…or rather purred. The man chuckled for a moment.

"_I see…well then, when you are done, bring her to the NetherRealm." _ The man said with a hint of amusement in his voice. I heard the other man walk away. Eventually, Bi-Han relaxed and released his tight hold on my neck and went back to my hair. I stayed absolutely still and hoped that nothing horrible would happen.

"There was this boy…" Bi-Han muttered solemnly, "Who had everything. He had a wonderful family and friends…"

_What is he…?_

"But then…these bad people took him away from it…from his family. He only had his brother left but his brother was too young to know what was going on…"

I couldn't help but to notice how gloomy his voice sounded. He didn't bother speaking again. He slid a warm hand under my shirt and stroked my back. I lifted my head up and crawled blindly away.

"You're awake…" He said.

I looked around in the darkness. "Where am I?"

"In a cave…" He said. I felt a hand on my leg and I kicked it away.

"Back off." I hissed.

"So unfriendly..." He said. "And to think that I've been so hospitable…"

I scoffed. "Hospitable my ass!"

A gentle finger pressed against my lips. "Language, my dear." He said. I smacked the hand away, only to have another one caress my face. I felt him crawl on top of me. The sudden proximity was too much; I couldn't breathe.

"I'm surprised my brother hasn't taken _advantage_ of you yet." He purred.

"W-what?" I put my hands on his chest to give space between us.

"Don't be so modest." He chuckled. "You're a beautiful woman. And women like you shouldn't be left…_unused_."

"Get away from me!" I yelled and clawed his face and neck. I saw a white flash and felt dizzy and weak. "What did you do to me?" I said. I had intended to sound angry but it came out in a slur.

"I've waited a long time for this." He whispered in my ear. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want a part of your innocence. Just remain relaxed…"

He kissed and bit my neck gently before he moved his lips towards mine. My strength came back and I kneed him in the groin. I kicked his body away and engulfed my hand in flames. The fire gave me the light I needed and I ran off into the cave.

I heard Bi-Han yell in frustration. I scaled a rock wall and saw a small light ahead of me.

_A way out!_

I ran towards it and finally came out of the cave. Bi-Han came and tackled me downhill. We rolled and tumbled downhill until we came to stop. I stood up, and felt something warm trickle down my forehead.

_Must've hit something…_

"You're _not_ leaving." Bi-Han hissed and stomped towards me.

"Then I guess I'll have to fight you!"

"Fight me? Ha! You'll regret your words!" He sent Saibot after me. I sidestepped, avoiding him, and stomped into the ground, freezing it. It didn't stop him. He charged towards me, punched me right in the jaw twice, and kicked me to a tree.

I recovered and morphed the nearby water into a kunai and froze it. I charged at him and managed to scrape his chest with the blade. I then blasted him with water and froze him in it.

He struggled against the ice. "Let me go!" He yelled. I shook my head and ran off.

"GET BACK HERE!" He screamed. I didn't bother turning around but I think I heard him break the ice. I ran faster and stopped at a large waterfall.

_Where the hell did he take me?! _I guess this is the only way I can lose him…

I turned around and saw him walk towards me.

"Don't. You. Dare." He said.

I frowned. "Or what? What will you do?" I challenged. "Better yet, what's it to you?"

I didn't wait for him to respond. I jumped off and hoped for the best.

* * *

I coughed and opened my eyes. I looked around and saw the Lin Kuei base not far from where I was. The sun looked like it was going to rise soon so I stood up and ran—or rather stumbled—towards the base. I sneaked back inside and cleaned myself up.

I knew that Kuai would ask about the injuries so I can't lie to him…

As suspected, he did ask. The minute I stepped into the training room, he noticed the large gash on my forehead.

"How did that happen?"

I giggled nervously. "Well you see I kind of…went to the forest last night."

He frowned. "What?"

"I went out for a walk in the forest and…" I stopped. _I don't want him to get mad at me…_

"And?" He urged.

I scratched my head. "I saw your brother and we got into a fight."

His eye twitched. "I thought I told you _not_ to leave the Lin Kuei territory."

"I know you did! But I just wanted to clear my mind off of…something so I took a walk. And I _swear _I did stay within the Lin Kuei territory!"

"Where did you find him?"

I thought about that for a moment. "The east side of the base…"

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. He sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Can you promise me something?"

"S-sure…"

"Don't _ever_ leave the base again." He said. "And if for some reason you want to, you _will _take someone with you, understand?"

I sighed and looked down. "Yes, Sub-Zero. I understand."

"Thank you, Soraya."

"Yeah, whatever." I pouted.

He rolled his eyes. "Why are you mad?"

"Because…I'm pretty much stuck here now." I said.

His eyes crinkled a bit, telling me that he was smiling. "Well if that bothers you so much, what do you want to do?"

"You said you were going to teach me how to teleport…" I mumbled.

He gasped. "You _actually_ want to learn something?" He asked teasingly.

I lightly smacked his arm. "Yes. Now teach me before I change my mind." I giggled.

"Will you be paying attention?"

"I'll try…" I grinned.

He chuckled and we spent the rest of the morning training.

* * *

**A/N:** Good lord. XD I can't believe I spent so much time procrastinating….; If you were hoping for something else in this chappie…

Then I'm sorry? o.e;

Just one more chapter until Soraya's initiation guys. ^_^ I need another chapter to explain something rather…well you'll see. I know this story is going super super slow, but please be patient! It'll get better I promise. So...sorry if the chapter sucked. :I

Anyway, thanks for reading! :D

Reviews are love! OwO


	13. Chapter 13: Smoke: Time Passes

Chapter 13: Time Passes

_**A/N: **__It's Tomas's time to shine ya'll! Yes, it's in his POV ok? Hope you like this chapter! I can't believe I managed to write this…_

_Enjoy! And please excuse any mistakes. I loathe editing so much…_

_**Disclaimer**__: I __**don't**__ own any of the MK Characters used in this story._

* * *

It was amazing to see Soraya learn so much within a few months. A fast learner, I suppose. She had spent the winter, and spring perfecting her powers and fighting techniques. She became quite adept with the bow and arrow and an ice scythe that she makes with her water.

Kuai was surprised as well as she advanced effortlessly into his lessons.

"I just hope she uses those powers for something good," He had said to me. "And not for something as stupid as scaring others."

I smiled. "You're just jealous because you can't turn invisible. Besides, you were laughing at the newbies too!"

He chuckled. "Ok ok…It _was_ funny."

During the months of her training, I could tell that she was becoming a lot more…_kinder _to Sub-Zero. She would follow his orders without any question and always gave him a strange look when he wasn't looking at her.

She gave him a special treatment that _no one_ else received. Not even me. Not that it bothers me.

When I had asked her about it, she blushed and said, "I _might_ like him."

"Why?" I asked, truly curious.

"He's…different." She had said. "I just…I don't know…" She looked down, smiling faintly.

Even Sub-Zero seems to be warming up to her. He's kinder and a lot more patient than he was before. Her "punishment" for getting in trouble usually consisted of just making her show up earlier to training.

Seriously.

"_Why_ would you do that?" I asked him.

He chuckled. "You know how Soraya loves sleeping in. If I take her beauty sleep away, she'll stop."

And she did.

But personally, I think she only listened to him because she likes him.

I'll ask her about Sub-Zero again. Maybe she'll have a better answer today…

* * *

"Smoke!" I heard Soraya call. I turned around and saw her skipping gracefully towards me with a grin on her face.

"Hello Soraya." I smiled.

"Guess what?" She asked while swaying from side to side. She acts so much like a little kid sometimes…

I chuckled. "What is it?"

"Sub-Zero said I could go out for a walk with you!" She squealed in excitement. I knew how much it meant to her so I quietly celebrated with her. She's always been a little claustrophobic when it came to staying inside for too long. And ever since Sub-Zero forbid her on going outside, she's been getting desperate.

I can't blame Kuai though; I would've done the same.

_Damn Bi-Han…_

She never gave me the full details on what happened that night. She'd frown and say, "It's better if you don't know."

"How'd you convince him to say yes?"

She scowled a bit. "Begging. And a lot of it."

I grinned. Of course he would do that…

"C'mon!" She urged. "Let's go before he changes his mind!"

* * *

Soraya sighed contently as we walked beside the river.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked innocently.

"What is it?"

"Do you like Kuai?"

She sighed. "You already know the answer, Tomas."

"Well it really wasn't a clear answer…"

"I...I guess I'm not too sure either…"

I frowned and stopped walking. "What do you mean you're not sure? You act differently around him, and you treat him better than anyone else!"

She blushed and looked down at her feet. "I-I know I do but—"

"You know what I think your problem is?" I interrupted. "I think you're just scared to admit it to yourself that you like him."

"That's not…ok fine yes, I don't want to admit it!"

I smiled. "And why not?"

She sat on a boulder. "I guess it's because I think he won't like me back." She glowered and put a hand under her chin. "I mean, I can't really imagine him liking anyone…"

"Come now, you can't just assume that!" I retorted. "Just because Sub-Zero is a little reserved about what he feels doesn't make him capable of loving someone, Soraya."

She nodded. "Yeah you're right…"

I kneeled beside her. "Besides, what makes you think that he _wouldn't_ like you?"

She shrugged. "I don't know…actually, I did tell him that I like him."

"What did he say?"

"Pfft…I told him in Spanish." She hung her head in disappointment. "At the last second, I chickened out. But at least I told him right?" She scratched her head nervously.

"Technically, yes you did."

"But still…just the thought of telling him makes me feel nauseous…"

"Well let's put it this way," I said. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"He'll say he's not interested, I'll lose my dignity and it'll become very awkward between us."

"You've never had a dignity." I smirked.

"Says the guy who pretended to be gay for a whole day." She giggled.

I shuddered. "That brought in a lot of unwanted attention…"

"I still don't understand why you did that…"

"You dared me too!"

She smirked. "Well I didn't think you would've _actually_ done it."

I shrugged. "Oh well."

She laughed. "So…what do you think I should do about Sub-Zero?"

"Just follow your instincts." I said. "You'll be fine!"

She smiled gently, her honey eyes becoming soft. "Ok then…"

I really don't understand why she would think that Sub-Zero wouldn't like her. She's a beautiful woman with good qualities…

I'm sure he likes her as well.

"So when's your initiation?" I asked.

"Sub-Zero said it was tomorrow."

"Are you nervous?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I mean, it's just a combat test! What's so hard about it?"

"You fight the Grandmaster."

She froze. "I thought that I would fight a high ranking ninja or something…"

I looked at my nails. "Nope. You fight the Grandmaster."

"Well I'm screwed…"

I laughed. "He's your teacher! Shouldn't he be predictable by now?"

"Well yeah but…he just finds _me _predictable…" She pouted.

I patted her head. "You'll be fine."

"We should go…I'm starting to get hungry…"

"But I don't wanna walk!" I whined. She grinned, stomped the ground and froze the river leading down to the Lin Kuei base.

"Now, we have a slide!" She giggled.

"This is awesome!" I yelled. We jumped into the frozen river and slid all the way back to the base.

* * *

_**A/N: **__There we go! I hope you all enjoyed this chappie! :D Yes I know…I'm taking awhile to make things romantic and stuff but like I said, please be patient! I hope all of you understand :(_

_Reviews are love! OwO_


	14. Chapter 14: Surprise Visit

Chapter 14: Surprise Visit

**A/N: **_In case you are confused, this is a transition. __**This chapter shall be told in 3**__**rd**__** person. **__This is after the initiation fight. Originally, I was going to make a chapter of that but then I thought, "Wouldn't I be wasting another chapter?"_

_So yeah._

_**Also, I won't be updating as often. School just started so I'll be busy most of the time. I don't know when I'll be updating the story. If you want to know as to whether or not I'll be updating, go to my profile and the Story Update section shall be on the bottom of the Bio ok? Be sure to check weekly ONLY. Everything that pertains to the story shall be written there.**_

_But in case you're too lazy to look, I'll probably update every three or four weeks. Maybe monthly. I don't know it depends on my procrastination levels and if I'm busy with school work. XD_

_I'll stop talking now. :I_

_Enjoy! _

_**Disclaimer: **__I obviously don't own the MK Characters used in this story…_

* * *

Sub-Zero stiffened as the nurse tended to the burn wound on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Soraya sat next to him quietly with bruises and cuts on her arms and abdomen, refusing any treatment. Smoke sat in front of them, twirling his fingers in his long silver hair, grinning.

Soraya looked at Smoke. "Maybe you should cut your hair." She said.

Smoke snorted and rolled his eyes. "That's the worst idea you've had so far."

"It's true!" She countered. "It's almost reaching your waist!"

"So?" Smoke asked.

"I think she means it would be a distraction for you, Smoke." Sub-Zero said, slightly annoyed by his friend's usual obnoxiousness.

"Exactly." Soraya said and scowled.

"I'll look fabulous either way." Smoke said while flipping his hair back with sass. "So it doesn't matter."

Sub-Zero smirked. He still doesn't understand how he became great friends with such a…strange man.

Soraya smiled widely. "You look _so_ fabu*!"

"Oh my god! I know!" Smoke said with a girlish giggle.

Sub-Zero held back a laugh. "You two are so ridiculous!"

"You're worse when you drink coffee!" Smoke stated.

Sub-Zero frowned at the silver haired man. "Don't you _dare_ mention that ever again."

The Enenra grinned wickedly. "Oh Sub-Zero you just love to tempt me, don't you?"

"Oh stop it you two!" Soraya said, holding back a smile.

"I was only kidding…" Smoke said. "…I'll cut my hair…tomorrow."

"_Yesterday, you said tomorrow_…" Soraya quoted.

Smoke smirked and continued to play with his hair. "Shall we decide your new codename?"

"Eden." Soraya said. "I want my codename to be Eden."

"I like it." Sub-Zero smiled. The woman next to him smiled and looked down at her feet. Sub-Zero let his thoughts wander to the past few months.

He grew fond of Soraya. Not in a lovey dovey way but…he found her good company to keep. She was a smart, kind, and quiet woman and as much as he hated to admit it, he grew to care for her.

She had become a powerful warrior. She managed to control her powers in only a few weeks and she was quick on her feet. The only thing that worried Sub-Zero was her ruthlessness and sadistic characteristics as she fought. He hoped that her powers wouldn't get the best of her.

She even wondered if she could move earth. Of course, Sub-Zero was rather excited to hear that she wanted to extend her training…but he felt that she was becoming _too_ powerful.

That's what happened to his former grandmaster. The old leader had let his apprentice gain too much power and the young man overthrew him. Though, it's not like Sub-Zero could've done anything then; he was too young and naïve to care.

Anyway, he just didn't want to end up fighting _her_. She was his friend, and he would _never_ hurt one he cared for.

He took a quick glance at her before looking away. He smirked a bit, remembering the sentimental moments he had with her. She was a shy person; she would blush madly when Smoke would hug her or when Sub-Zero would compliment her on her skills.

Though, he couldn't figure out why she always seemed nervous around him. When she made eye contact with him, she visibly softened and smiled a bit. Hell, she even followed his orders; which was a miracle since the stubborn woman hardly ever listened to anyone else!

He would have to investigate her odd behavior soon.

"Grandmaster…" A servant said, interrupting his thoughts.

He looked up tiredly. "Yes?"

"A man said he's here to see you…his name is Raiden?"

Raiden? What could he possibly want?

"Let him in…"

The servant nodded and went on her way.

"Who's Raiden?" Soraya bluntly asked.

"An old friend of ours…" Smoke sighed.

Soraya crossed her arms. "Is that the friend you saw on your birthday?" she asked Kuai.

Sub-Zero nodded gravely, remembering the day that Raiden had asked him to meet him. Raiden had informed him that there was a chance of another invasion.

That was something that he did _not_ need to hear. The previous invasion had caused multiple casualties. If it weren't for the Elder Gods – who apparently wanted to help—they all would've been dead. Raiden told him that he would speak to him again once he was certain that he knew whether or not there would be one.

Obviously, Sub-Zero prayed that there wouldn't be one but, considering the circumstances, it would most likely happen.

Soraya scowled. "Must be one hell of a friend…"

"You've got no idea…" the Cryomancer sighed.

The trio stood up as Raiden entered the room. From the corner of his eye, Sub-Zero could've sworn he saw Soraya pout. He guessed it was because Raiden towered above her, like everyone else did. Not that she was self conscious about it.

"Sub-Zero," Raiden greeted. "Smoke."

Smoke gave a slight nod.

Raiden looked at Soraya and smiled gently. "And who might you be?"

Sub-Zero spoke for her. "She's my apprentice. Her name is Eden."

Soraya bowed respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Raiden."

"She's disciplined as well." Raiden said.

Soraya blushed slightly and looked down.

Sub-Zero turned his attention back to Raiden. "So…will there be another invasion?"

Raiden nodded gravely. Sub-Zero's stomach sank.

Smoke frowned. "I knew it!"

"Wait, what invasion?" Soraya hissed, placing her hands on her hips. "What's going on?"

Sub-Zero sighed. He knew she would get angry. If there was anything she loathed, it was keeping valuable information from her.

"Do you remember Quan Chi?" Smoke asked her.

"Yeah…what about him?"

"Quan Chi is starting an invasion along with Shinnok," the thunder god said, "and I need all of your help to defeat him."

"Who's Shinnok?" Soraya asked, frowning.

"Shinnok was a former Elder God," Raiden explained, "He rules the NetherRealm now."

Soraya flailed her arms in frustration. "What's an Elder God?" She interrogated, glaring at Sub-Zero. "What _else_ haven't you been telling me?"

Sub-Zero patted the aggressive woman's head, chuckling nervously. "I'll explain later."

She pouted and crossed her arms. "Fine…"

Raiden smiled a bit. "You remind me of your father."

Soraya widened her eyes, forgetting what had happened. "You knew my father?"

Raiden nodded. "Oh yes, I did. But I'll explain all of that later. For now, we must leave to Edenia."

"We?" Sub-Zero asked. He was hoping he didn't have to take Soraya. For some reason, he didn't want her ending up severely injured.

Raiden crossed his arms. "Well…yes. I do need all the help I can get…"

Soraya smirked. "We won't let you down."

The god smiled. "Good…I'll meet you in Edenia."

"Wait you're not coming with us?" Smoke asked.

"I still have to inform Jax and Sonya of this…" Raiden said. "I'll meet you in Edenia instead."

Smoke nodded. "Alright then…"

The trio watched silently as Raiden left the room.

"Wait, how are we getting to Edenia?" Soraya asked.

"This is one of the things I didn't want to tell you." Sub-Zero muttered.

She narrowed her honey eyes. "What do you mean?"

Smoke smirked. "Sonya had a few people build us a portal in case something like this happened again."

She flailed her arms again. "We had a portal?!"

"I had a feeling that you would've wanted to mess with it so I never told you!" The Cryomancer explained.

She twirled her fingers in her hair, grinning widely. "You're right. I _would've_ messed with it."

Sub-Zero shook his head. _How_…is this woman going to survive the invasion?

* * *

Sub-Zero patiently waited in the portal room with a sulking Smoke. Soraya had forced Smoke to cut his hair for the trip. When he refused, she had wrapped him around with water and froze him in it, leaving his head in the open. The rest is history.

It seemed that Soraya would do _anything_ to get what she wanted.

For now, they were waiting for her. She was getting her official Lin Kuei uniform made today so it'll take awhile.

"It's so short!" Smoke hissed as he gripped his silver hair.

Sub-Zero face palmed his forehead. The enenra's hair rested by his shoulders!

"You're over reacting…" Sub-Zero muttered.

Smoke ignored him and sat down at the floor. "Whatever…"

"I'm finished!" a female voice said. Sub-Zero turned around to see Soraya running towards them. His eye twitched.

Soraya wore a black, leather body suit. On top of that she wore a silk purple shirt with simple designs. It was sleeveless and it was connected to a violet breechcloth. The clothing was held with a large, black leather belt with the Lin Kuei symbol imprinted on. She had black boots on that reached to her thighs, she had fishnet gloves, and had her thick, brown hair in a bun.

The thing that bothered Sub-Zero the most was her figure. The novice uniform had covered most of her curvy body figure.

Now….well…

Smoke grinned at Sub-Zero's reaction. "What do you think Kuai?"

Sub-Zero glared at the Enenra. "We have to go."

Smoke chuckled and turned on the portal.

"Let's go."

* * *

**A/N:** _YAY! FINISHED! Thank the gods I have managed to do this! _

_Sorry for the long wait you guys! I'll try to update sooner next time ok?_

_And please excuse any mistakes. :/ I suck at editing. _

_Reviews are love!_


	15. Chapter 15: Melt

Chapter 15: Melt

_**A/N:**_ _Ok…I hope you enjoy this chapter! __**Again, this is 3**__**rd**__** person**__. Sorry! I'm trying to practice other ways of writing. And here I am, practicing on you guys! XD Who knows? I might write 3__rd__ person view from now on! I really like it. :)_

_But first! I must ask you all a favor…_

_I want you all to read __**Poe's Daughter's**__ stories, and __**Subterranean Stepdancer's**__ stories._

_You'll love them! :)_

**To Rosemary101: **_Noob __**will**__ appear but, later on ok? __ You're so…hyper….o.e_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I obviously don't own any MK characters that are used in this story…_

* * *

Unaccustomed to the portal's power, Soraya stumbled out of the portal and into the sandy terrain of Outworld. Sub-Zero followed behind silently, grinning at the woman's reaction.

"My head…" She groaned.

"You'll get used to it." Sub-Zero said as he helped her stand up.

Soraya looked around in confusion. "Where's Smoke?"

"Maybe the portal left him somewhere else…"

"Are you kidding me?" Soraya frowned. "Stupid portal…what if he gets in trouble?"

"He'll be fine." Sub-Zero reassured. "He can take care of himself."

"If you say so…" Soraya looked around and kicked the dirt in disappointment. "I thought Edenia would be more beautiful…"

"Oh it is. Once Outworld merged with Edenia, it couldn't unmerge."

"So then this must be Outworld…"

"Right…anyway, I recognize this area. Edenia should be up north."

Soraya smiled. "Lead the way, _Master_."

Sub-Zero smirked under his mask. He liked the sound of that word.

* * *

They walked for several hours in silence. Eventually, they reached the forest of Outworld. It was there that Sub-Zero found out something about himself.

He was a pervert. Or at least he thought he was.

Soraya walked ahead of him for a part of the trip and he found himself eyeing her body. He couldn't help it. After all, he was a man and his instincts got the best of him.

The worst part was that Soraya caught him gawking at her like some weirdo.

She'd placed her hands on her hips. "Were you…?"

The man quickly denied. "No. Why would I do that?"

She grinned. "Yes you were!"

Before Sub-Zero could say anything back, Soraya had burst out laughing. Meanwhile, Sub-Zero stood there with his fists clenched, flustered and humiliated.

"Don't get mad!" She smiled.

"Then don't mock me!" He hissed back.

Her cheeks turned a slight pinkish color. "If it makes you feel any better, I've done the same."

"…W-what?"

She scratched her head nervously. "I did the same thing to you."

"Why?"

She shrugged and her blush became even more clear. "I don't know…my eyes just like wondering off to good-looking things."

To know his own student was attracted to him was somewhat strange but, then again, he would be calling himself a liar if he said he didn't feel the same way. He brushed the incident away and kept walking.

…Except now, he made sure he walked ahead of her. Eventually, the sun started setting so they decided to make camp. Of course, the only thing they could do was make a fire.

"Is there anything edible here in Outworld?" Soraya asked as she held her stomach.

"I'm not sure…"

"I'll go look for food," she said. "In the meantime, do you think you could get some fire wood?"

"Sure…"

* * *

Sub-Zero stomped towards the river. The woman was taking too long and he was getting hungry. He hoped that she hadn't gotten lost. She didn't have a horrible sense of direction, she just got distracted easily.

He remembered one time during their training that she messed her fire technique due to a _fly_ in the room. The poor insect had gotten too close to her and she murdered it by incinerating it.

She had a _horrible _temper.

He wacked some leaves away from a tall bush and saw Soraya by the river, collecting fish with her water moves. With the fish inside, she formed a bubble of water around it. She allowed the bubbles of water to float around her elegantly.

Sub-Zero admired the way her arms and body made snake-like movements as she controlled the water. It was really graceful for such a clumsy woman.

In an attempt to scare her, Sub-Zero skipped lightly towards her. He saw her fists clench and she whirled around. Sub-Zero expected her flaming fist, but was instead met with a large rock to the abdomen. The blow knocked the wind out of him. He fell to his knees, holding his stomach.

Soraya gasped and kneeled next to him. "I'm so sorry!"

"I-I'm fine…" He coughed.

What just happened? He was sure Soraya had manipulated that stupid rock to fly towards him…

"You did that didn't you?" He muttered, feeling better.

She looked disappointed. "Ok…you caught me…I've been teaching myself how to manipulate the earth."

He frowned. "How long have you been keeping this from me?" He didn't know why her secret bothered him so much. It just did.

She scratched the back of her neck nervously. "For three months…"

His eye twitched. "Are you kidding me?"

It was her turn to frown. "What's the big deal?" She hissed. "I just wanted to learn something! And besides, _you_ kept the invasion from _me_."

She had a point…

"So then I guess we're equal." He stated calmly. "But this isn't about me, this is about you. Why did you keep that away from me?"

Her cheeks became a light pinkish color. "I knew you would get angry…and I didn't want to see you that way so I trained myself."

"I see…" He raised an eyebrow. It seemed that she blushed now more than ever. He knew she was shy but he wasn't sure if she only blushed around _him_.

"How come you wouldn't let me learn?" She inquired.

Sub-Zero sighed. There wasn't a point in lying to her. He knew it would bite him back and when it came to Soraya and secrets…she would bite back _hard_. "I…was afraid that you would become _too_ powerful for your own good."

She looked unsatisfied with his answer. "O-ok…"

He bit his lip in hesitation. "I'll explain later…for now let's just go back to camp."

He looked around and saw that the bubbles _still _floated around them. He wasn't surprised, though. Soraya's manipulation of water was at a master's level _even_ when she was distracted.

Soraya nodded and helped him stand up.

* * *

Sub-Zero chewed on the cooked fish hungrily. This was his third fish and he was still starving! He felt grateful that Soraya had caught so many. The woman next to him played with the fire as he ate.

"So will you tell me now?" She asked impatiently.

"You sound _so_ happy" He teased sarcastically.

She narrowed her eyes. "Just tell me."

He took a deep breath. "I was afraid that if I had let you become too powerful, you would…try to go against me or something…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?"

"Well…it's happened before…I wouldn't want to fight you if something like that happened."

Her face became gentle. "I would never do that."

Sub-Zero smirked and continued eating.

"I have a confession…" She said. "I've also been trying to teach myself how to control air."

Kuai looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "Soraya…."

"I swear that's all I've kept from you!"

"Let's make a deal." He said rather irritably. "We will never keep anything from each other again…got it?"

She looked disappointed. "Ok…"

"Does that anger you?" he inquired.

She widened her eyes. "Of course not! I think it's a great idea! I'm just a little upset with myself…"

"Why?"

"Because I got you mad…"

He softened a bit. The woman sometimes reminded him of an innocent child. The way she would blush and smile gently at compliments, or the way she sulked when someone was mad at her…

She was so charming.

He waved his hand dismissively. "It's alright."

She smirked. "If you say so…"

Sub-Zero looked at the woman as she played with the fire. He grinned slightly, remembering the woman's temper during the training sessions they had. She was stubborn and hated to lose. Whenever Sub-Zero declared that he had won, she would attack him and demand to continue their spar.

He admired that she didn't quit or stop just because of a hard punch to the gut or a nosebleed.

He wondered if anything bothered her; she always seemed cheerful. When something bad happened to her, she bounced back and went on with her life as if nothing had ever happened. Though, he had a feeling that she liked to hold the negative feelings in. Maybe it helped her cope…

"So," She said, "Can you tell me about yourself?"

"Like what?" He snorted. "I'm not _that_ interesting, you know."

"Oh c'mon!" She said. "Just…tell me something. Tell me about your past."

Sub-Zero would've asked her to tell her past _first_ but…considering that she only remembered parts of her past, it would be wrong to ask her.

He looked at her for a moment, wondering if she really was worthy of knowing his past. It wasn't because of his ego or his dignity; he just wanted to know if she would ever use the information against him in some way.

She looked at him with gentle, disarming eyes. He sighed and gave in. Soraya may be cruel during battle, but she wasn't ruthless enough to do that to him. Or at least he hoped.

"I was born in the U.S. and…" he stopped. He hated talking about this…

"…You don't have to tell me…" She said. "I understand that some things are too difficult to say."

He smiled a little. "Sometimes I think you're _too_ kind to me. I don't deserve it."

"You do." She responded quietly. "…Well, _I_ think you do…"

"Why?"

"I think you're a good person." She said, a slight smile forming on her face. "You may be a little cold at first, but…there's something warm when you manage to melt the ice."

His heart fluttered and he smiled. "No one has ever told me that…"

"Really? Well, that's a shame…"

"…When I was around 2 years old," he continued. "My family was murdered by the Lin Kuei and then…they took me and brother in."

The woman sighed sympathetically. "Why did the Lin Kuei murder your family?"

"My father was a member," he explained, his eyes growing heavy. "He had his family in secret and…it obviously wasn't allowed. When a Lin Kuei member has a family, they _must_ take the boys into clan _and_, if there are any, kill the women."

She widened her eyes. "I-I see…"

"I was too young to know. Bi-Han was the one who saw everything."

"…Was your father killed too?"

He took a deep breath. "Yes, yes he was. He had fought back and…they killed him along with my mother."

He stopped for a moment before continuing. "And, as you can tell, I was raised in the Lin Kuei."

"Was it easy?" She asked. "Growing up in the Lin Kuei?"

He shook his head solemnly. "No."

His chest constricted and he frowned. He hated the fact that this happened to his family. He hated that he could never know what family love was. He loathed that this bothered him so much. He's a man! He shouldn't be bothered by this…this weakness!

He also detested the fact that he lived a life of loneliness throughout his life. It was as if though seclusion loved him, even though he tried rejecting it. Sure, he had Smoke, but even then it wasn't enough.

As much as he didn't want to be selfish, he wanted more. He wanted to know what love was and perhaps have a family of his own.

He felt her small, cold hand place on his. "This might not be any of my business," she said. "But…if the Lin Kuei did those things to you, then why did you go back?"

"Originally, I didn't want to." He sighed. "In fact, I wanted to kill them all. But, most of the ones who had murdered my family were dead by then…and I can't kill those who hadn't committed the act. Instead, I challenged the old grandmaster, killed him, and took his place."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to see the Lin Kuei ruin themselves. They may have done some horrific things, but that was because of bad leadership."

"I see…well I'm glad you told me this."

Confused, he raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

She nodded. "It helps me understand..."

He really didn't know what she meant by that, but he decided not to ponder on the matter. He felt slightly irritated at himself for revealing his past to the woman, but nonetheless, he felt a weight come off his shoulders.

He stared at the small, white hand that held his and chuckled. "You have_ really_ small hands."

She shrugged. "Better than nothing, I guess."

"…Do things ever really bother you?" He asked. Now, it was _his_ turn to ask the questions.

She released the feathery grip on his hand and crossed her arms. "Why do you ask?"

"You always seem…cheerful." He said, frowning. "It's somewhat unnatural to see someone act that way."

"Things _do_ bother me," she explained, scowling. "I just don't like to let it linger and affect my mood. I_ could_ act bitter if I wanted to, but I choose not to."

"_Or_ maybe you just hold the feelings in and refuse to acknowledge it."

For a split second, sadness flashed in her eyes. At that same moment, she recollected herself and shook her head. "Maybe…"

Maybe he should change the subject…

"So why did you tell me that Spanish phrase?"

She smirked. "The angel one?"

He nodded.

"I remember vaguely that my father used to say it to me before I went to sleep." She explained. "When I say it, it comforts me; it helps me fall asleep."

She shook her head. "Sorry…I'm getting too personal here."

"It's ok." He shrugged. "I told you about my atrocious childhood. I'm sure you can tell me about those things."

She chuckled. "_Atrocious_…"

He smiled, her laugh soothing him.

"We should sleep now." She said, looking at the fire, her expression unfathomable.

"Right…"

A few moments later, he was lying on the ground, half-asleep.

"Good night, Kuai," She whispered. "_Que duermas con los angelitos y con dios."_

He sighed tiredly, finally understanding what she meant. His mind seemed a little more at ease with that statement; especially since it came from her sweet voice.

"Good night, Soraya." He whispered.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Hope you enjoyed guys. :)_


	16. Chapter 16: Revelations

Chapter 16: Revelation

_**A/N:**_ _It's time I get my s*** together. I'll try to update faster. I hate not being able to update just because I'm lazy or procrastinating._

…_Or just because I'm upset._

_Hope you guys like it!_

_Also, I'd like to say sorry to __**Grandmaster Sub-Zero. **__I know I said I'd update on Thursday and I didn't. _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any of the MK Characters._

* * *

The sun hit her white face and she scowled. She opened her eyes and forced herself to sit up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around.

No sign of enemies…

She looked at Kuai who was sleeping in a fetal position. She couldn't help but to slightly smile at the sight. His face was relaxed which made him look younger, and he sorely reminded her of an innocent baby.

She yawned, stood up, and stretched. Behind her, she heard some bushes move about. She whirled around, frowning and morphed some water into her traditional dual scythes. She froze them and moved quietly towards the bush.

She walked for a while, checking her surroundings. She kept her guard on knowing that whoever made that noise could be anywhere.

Suddenly, she was pushed to the ground. She yelped as she hit the soft dirt.

She scrambled to her feet and looked around, thinking she'd see her enemy and yet, she saw no one.

She growled angrily. "Show yourself!" The last thing she wanted was to be humiliated during combat. This time she felt a jab on her side. She was _highly_ ticklish so she screamed and whirled around hoping to hit her enemy. She hit absolutely nothing, and stomped her foot in frustration.

To her right, the trees moved. She ran to it and looked up in the branches.

"I know you're up there!" She hissed. When she turned around, she bumped into something hard. She looked up and saw Smoke standing there with his arms crossed. His eyes gleamed mischievously.

"You bastard!" She yelled and smacked his arm.

"Aw…I love you too!" He said, his eyes crinkling up.

She placed her hands on her hips. "I was worried about you." She admitted.

"Well I'm here now, right?"

"Yes, yes you are." She smiled. "But seriously, don't scare me like that again!"

He held his hands up in defense. "Hey, it's not my fault you're so ticklish!"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Well then, wake up Kuai." Smoke said. "I need to take you guys back to base."

"Base?"

"Right…I forgot to mention. They changed the location."

She decided not to question the sudden change. "So you got there first?"

"Actually, Scorpion found me. Raiden had sent him to find us."

Scorpion…the man who had killed Bi-Han.

He intrigued her immensely. He really didn't have a reason to kill Bi-Han in cold blood…

Or did he? Oh, she had so many questions for this mysterious man...

She frowned. "Wait…Scorpion found you?"

"Yes…"

"Then…isn't he with you?"

"I left camp about a few hours ago." He explained. "He wasn't there when I woke up. I'm sure he's…_around_."

She shook her head. "Let's go wake up Kuai then…"

* * *

Soraya shook the Cryomancer.

He opened his eyes slowly, somewhat unwillingly. As he sat up he looked around, his face becoming disappointed.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked her voice filled with concern.

He nodded and stood up, still looking upset. She wondered if it was the lack of sleep that got him down.

"Thank the Gods you're safe, Smoke." Kuai smirked, as he noticed the Enenra.

Smoke shrugged. "You know I can take care of myself."

"_**You**_!" A voice boomed. "I thought I told you stay at camp!"

Soraya looked to her right and saw a yellow clad ninja stomping towards them. She swallowed when she noticed his eyes were a gleaming white. She looked at Kuai and noticed how his face scrunched up in anger. As the man stepped closer, she noticed how tall he was. He was as big as Kuai, if not, slightly taller.

"Consider it a favor!" Smoke said. "Wouldn't you prefer having someone like _me_ off your back, Scorpion?"

So _this_ is Scorpion. Soraya stared at him, fascinated by his presence.

"It's my objective to take you all back to base safely." Scorpion retorted, scowling. "Even if I don't like your…_existence, _I have to deal with it."

Smoke rolled his eyes.

Scorpion shot a glare towards Soraya. "And who are you?"

"I'm Eden." She answered confidently, trying not to let his intimidating stare take her down. "I'm Sub-Zero's apprentice. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed respectfully and met his pallid eyes without fear.

He raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. But whatever he felt at that moment left within a second as he looked away from her.

She looked at Sub-Zero who was still glaring daggers at the spectre. She couldn't help but to feel slightly awkward about the situation.

"Let's go, shall we?" She spoke up before Scorpion could notice Sub-Zero's horrible stare. Though, he probably already did.

* * *

If there was one thing Kuai hated, it was_ this_ particular situation.

As he walked behind Scorpion, he wanted to tackle the man down and beat him relentlessly. Of course, Raiden had the courtesy to explain that it wasn't Scorpion's fault that he had killed Bi-Han and that Quan Chi was behind all the pain.

Even then, he couldn't help but to feel resentment towards the hell spawn.

But again, it wasn't his fault. Just accepting that fact, though, was difficult.

And to make it all worse, Soraya kept staring at him. He didn't know why, but it bothered him to no end. Behind him, he could feel Tomas's eyes laughing at him. He wondered of this was Smoke's idea; he wouldn't be surprised if it was.

"We're here." Scorpion said. Sub-Zero looked ahead and saw the large base. It was surrounded by armed Outworld and Edenian warriors. Sub-Zero was surprised by the security. Then again, if Kitana was there, they would do anything to protect their Queen. They were granted access and stepped inside the base.

* * *

"Sub-Zero!" Sonya called out as she walked towards him.

"Hello Sonya." He replied plainly. "Where's Jax?"

"In the armory."

"…And Raiden?"

"He's speaking with Kitana and Jade."

He shrugged. "Ok then."

She looked over his shoulder. "You didn't tell me you would bring someone new."

Sub-Zero turned his head and saw Soraya walking towards them along with Smoke. Scorpion followed behind them quietly.

"Hello!" Soraya said and a friendly smile formed on her face. "I'm Eden. I'm Sub-Zero's apprentice. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Sonya. Sonya Blade." The blond woman responded. "You seem…nice…"

Soraya shrugged, a frown forming on her face as she analyzed the woman who towered above her.

"Raiden!" Smoke said. The Enenra widened his eyes as Kitana and Jade walked behind him. Sub-Zero smirked, remembering that his friend held an attraction towards Jade. Now he can tease him about it, just like Smoke would about him and Soraya.

"Smoke…" Raiden nodded. "I see Scorpion brought you all back."

Sonya scoffed. "Scorpion…we shouldn't trust him."

Sub-Zero could feel the hell spawn frown.

"And why not?" Soraya inquired, stepping closer to her. "I trust him."

Now it was the Cryomancer's turn to scoff. "You do?"

His student, his close friend…_trusted_ this abomination? Why?

He looked at Scorpion who looked surprised as well.

"He hasn't hurt anybody." She shrugged. "I'm assuming that if he would've wanted to betray us, he would have done it by now."

She turned to look at the hell spawn. "Isn't that right…Scorpion?"

Scorpion looked at her for a moment before nodding his head. Sub-Zero frowned at Soraya. The tone she used for the yellow clad ninja's name was_ so_ gentle that it had almost made him puke. He'll have a stern talk about this to her later on.

She shouldn't be friendly to him; let alone _trust_ him.

"You see?" Soraya said. "Besides, if Raiden trusts him, then we all should."

"I agree." Kitana spoke up, crossing her arms.

"Fine!" Sonya retorted. "Believe what you want to believe. I still don't trust him."

Scorpion muttered something incomprehensible and walked off to the training room. Knowing him, it was probably some curse for the blond woman.

Sonya rolled her eyes and stomped to the armory. Raiden sighed and followed the woman.

"I believe Sonya has met her match." Jade smirked.

Soraya raised an eyebrow. "What does _that _mean?"

"Sonya never backs down." Jade explained. "She'll keep arguing until she wins…"

"…Until now." Smoke finished.

"Oh, where are my manners!" Kitana gasped. "I'm Kitana. This is my body-guard, Jade."

As the girls began introducing themselves, Smoke quietly walked to the scowling Cryomancer and stood beside him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Sub-Zero shook his head. "Nothing."

Smoke chuckled. "I know you well enough to know when you're irritated. So just tell me."

Sub-Zero saw Kitana and Jade leave with Soraya. He heard one of the women say something about the bedroom suites they had in the base. Maybe they'll give her a tour…

"…It's Soraya."

"What did she do?"

"I don't like that she trusts Scorpion."

"Or maybe you're just _jealous_…"

Kuai turned his head _very_ slowly towards Smoke. "Excuse me?"

Smoke's eyes crinkled up. "I'm just stating possibilities here."

"Uh-huh sure…"

"I saw you." Smoke whispered. "I saw how angry you were when Soraya kept looking at Scorpion as if though he was some sort of trophy."

"I just don't want her to trust him." Sub-Zero growled. "If he ends up hurting her…"

He couldn't finish. Scorpion hurt him once by taking his brother away; he won't allow him to hurt _her_.

"You can't hate him for what he did." Smoke said, interrupting his thoughts. "You know it wasn't his fault."

"I know it wasn't his fault." Kuai mumbled. "I just…can't accept it. In my eyes…he will always be my brother's murderer."

"That's understandable." Smoke said. "…I still think you should give it a chance though."

"And why should I?"

"You heard the entire conversation." Smoke retorted. "And you _know_ that Soraya was right. If Scorpion wanted to kill us, he would've done it by now."

Sub-Zero thought it through for a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, Soraya _was_ right.

"Ok _fine_…" he said. "I'll give him a chance." He didn't want to but he'll do it for _her_.

"Thank you." Smoke said, his eyes crinkling up again. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the support."

"…I'm _not_ jealous, by the way." Sub-Zero said after a few moments of silence.

Smoke chuckled. "So you say…"

Kuai smiled and lightly punched Tomas's shoulder.

"Do you think I should tell her?" Kuai asked. "About Bi-Han?"

Smoke sighed and ran a hand through his white hair. "I'm not going to lie to you. I already told her."

Kuai clenched his fists. "And she still…_trusts_ him?!"

"Calm down—"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Sub-Zero whispered harshly, trying to keep his anger in check. "She knows how dangerous he is and _yet, _she trusts him?! How dim-witted can she be?!"

He immediately regretted his words.

"_Don't_ call her stupid." Smoke hissed.

"I didn't mean to call—"

"Well, you did."

"It just came out…" Kuai said. "I'm sorry."

Smoke sighed. "I understand…"

"I'm going to go talk to her."

Smoke nodded. "Be reasonable with her."

"That, I won't guarantee." And with that, he walked in the same direction that Kitana and Jade went to when they dragged Soraya along with them.

* * *

"Why do they have bedrooms…in a military base?" Soraya asked as she walked down a hallway with Kitana and Jade.

Jade shrugged. "They insist it's for the guests that pass by."

"Like us?" Soraya smiled.

"Yes, like us."

"So what's your story?" Kitana asked.

Soraya's face turned grim. "I don't have one. Well, at least I don't remember…"

Kitana sighed sympathetically. "That's a shame…"

"Don't you remember at least one thing?" Jade inquired.

"Just bits and pieces…" Soraya shrugged. "Nothing interesting though."

"Any abilities?" The green-eyed woman asked.

"I control the elements!" Soraya stated proudly. Kitana and Jade froze and stared at her.

"What?" Soraya asked, a blush forming in her face. "It's not _that _amazing…"

"It's not that…" Kitana said, worry crossing her face.

"Do you think she's…" Jade mumbled to Kitana.

"No, no she can't be!" Kitana retorted. "They're _extinct_. We were there when the…_genocide _happened…"

Soraya frowned. "What are you two talking about?"

"There you are!" A voice said. Soraya turned around and saw Raiden walking towards them. "Eden, may I speak to you for a moment?"

Soraya hesitated for a moment, wanting to stay and ask Kitana what she was speaking about. She sighed and went towards Raiden.

"Come, walk with me." The thunder-god said.

* * *

Soraya looked around and tried to remember where the hell she was. God knows where Raiden had taken her in this ridiculously large base.

"Have you ever heard of the Eve People?" The thunder-god asked.

"No...no I haven't." She lied. She remembered what Bi-Han said that night…

_"Besides, she fits the description of the Eve People…"_

"So you really don't remember anything…do you?"

"N-no…"

"I see…" He said. "Well, anyway, The Eves were the people of Outworld. They were considered to be the only thing…_stable_ in Outworld."

"And why is that?"

"They were intelligent…they had a government, education…most importantly, they had the strength to keep any enemies out of their territory."

She swallowed. "You're speaking in past tense…"

"Yes…I am…"

"Were they killed?"

Raiden sighed. "Most of them were. Very few survived."

"I'm sorry, but, what does this have to do with me?"

Raiden looked at her for a moment. "Like you, The Eves controlled the elements."

* * *

Sub-Zero looked around frantically. He cursed under his breath every time a turned a corner and didn't see Soraya.

He saw Kitana and ran towards her. "Where is Eden? I need to speak to her."

As he looked closer, he saw Kitana's distressed face. "Raiden is speaking with her. He went that way…"

He wanted to ask what was wrong with her, but he had no time at the moment. "Thank you."

* * *

Soraya took a deep breath. "How l-long ago was their…genocide?"

"To be exact, about 120 years ago."

"I…I see…" She breathed. "Continue, please."

"The few people who _did_ survive fled to Earth realm."

She stayed quiet, suddenly feeling lonely.

"…Your mother was one of them." He explained. "She was raised in England."

"…M-my father?" She asked quietly.

"He was born in the United States. He was raised by Mexican parents."

She smiled sadly. "Of course he was…"

* * *

Sub-Zero frowned as he heard their conversation. She sounded lost…

He wanted to comfort the poor woman but he _needed_ to hear the rest…

* * *

"He was accepted to a university in England and that's where he met your mother." Raiden continued.

"And that's where I come in." Soraya muttered.

"When you were a child, your mother died of a terminal illness."

Soraya frowned, remembering when she was only a little girl. She remembered how she looked at her young, beautiful mother's corpse during the funeral. She resisted the urge to let the tears in her eyes flow out.

"Before she died," Raiden continued. "She told your father about the Eves and how she was afraid they would hunt _you_ down."

It started coming back to her. "Then…My father and I became nomads…and we kept moving…"

Then she met Tomas…

"And then we moved to China…" She whimpered. "We stayed there because it was safe in the village we stayed at."

"…Do you remember the rest?"

She nodded; the tears flowed freely without permission. "We stayed until I turned 24….then one night…"

She stopped for a moment. "I came home after a late night walk and saw my father with his throat cut. He was killed…"

* * *

Kuai widened is eyes.

She didn't _lose _her memory; she had just _repressed_ everything…

* * *

"I stayed there…" she said. "And I stared at him for a long time until I ran away. I wandered for about a week until I…got to the Lin Kuei…"

"I'm so sorry, Eden." Raiden said.

"I…I just want to be alone…" She whispered, not meeting his gaze.

"I understand." With that, Raiden walked away leaving Soraya to herself in the hallway.

* * *

Sub-Zero heard her soft cries. As he looked around the corner, he saw Soraya running off and turning another corner at the end of the hallway.

He would've chased after her…

But he knew she wanted to be alone.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ _Well then! I'm finally done with this!_

_Sorry for not updating. I've been upset lately…_

_Anyway, I'd like to thank __**Subterranean Stepdancer**__ and __**Poe's Daughter**__ for cheering me up during that time. You guys are great friends! :)_

_**To Rosemary 101:**__ I'm guessing by "Advice" you mean if I have an idea for Noob's appearance. I do so don't worry about it. :)_


	17. Chapter 17: Shattered

Chapter 17: Shattered

**A/N:** After 2 months of not updating, I finally got this done! :D I needed a break so…yeah. I might have a few more, though ok? Anyway, this is a filler chapter. It's not too long. Just something I need to get my writing skills up and running again. Anyway, enjoy! :)

* * *

_The 4-year-old little girl ran down stairs and into the living room. She giggled as she jumped into her mother's protective, caring arms._

"_Mom, does my name have a meaning in __**your **__language?" Soraya asked as she stared into her mother's beautiful, amethyst eyes._

"_Actually, it does." Her mother spoke gently, her accent flowing through the words. _

"_What is it?" The little girl inquired._

"_Isis means __**ice**__ in our language. Soraya means __**serenity**__. And Mondragon is your father's last name."_

_Soraya nodded. "Mondragon is a…a…__**interesting **__last name!"_

_The woman smiled. "And why is that?"_

"_Because, it has the word dragon in it!"_

_Her mother shook her head in amusement. "Which reminds me, I bought you this." _

_The woman searched through her jacket and brought out a small box. She handed the box to the eager girl and watched as she opened it with enthusiasm._

"_Cool!" Soraya cheered. "I-I mean…Thank you, Mother."_

"_Here, let me put it on." The woman said. She grabbed the necklace and put it on the tiny girl. The necklace held a large, silver dragon charm. The dragon hugged a sapphire, the birthstone of her daughter._

"_Do you promise to take care of this?" The woman asked, staring into the honey eyes of her daughter._

_The girl nodded and smiled. "I promise."_

_Soraya jumped into her mother's arms again and kissed her cheek. The mother returned the embrace, smiling…_

* * *

**Isis Soraya Mondragon.**

Yes…_that's_ her full name. Throughout her life, she preferred to be called "Soraya" due to its meaning. Maybe that's why she remembered "Soraya" rather than "Isis" when she first spoke to Kuai Liang.

She sat there, in an empty hallway, with a burning sensation in her chest that spread like wildfire all over her body. _Even her eyes burned, for some reason_. As much as she wanted to, she refused to cry. Yes, she had let out a few tears as she had walked away from Raiden…

But that was it.

She…she can't cry. Not now. Not ever.

She winced in pain as a migraine pounded in her head…

* * *

_She walked slowly to the coffin, clutching her father's hand. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to face the reality, the truth, that her loving mother was dead. As she looked down at the pale corpse, she fell to her knees and sobbed loudly. Her father kneeled down next to her and hugged her gently. He stayed silent as the she kept crying._

* * *

She had loved her so much…

So…so much…

Before her mother died, everything was paradise. When she died…everything had collapsed. Her father had become more distant and cold. And she had withered to something pitiful. She cried everyday for weeks and had horrific nightmares of her mother's corpse.

Then one day, her father told her it was time to move. She had protested but her father forced her out the door and to the airport.

Destination: Spain.

Her father found a job and they stayed there for a few months. They moved again to Prague. She had met Tomas who, at that time, was her prince. He had taught her most about the culture and…he kept her company most of the time. That's what mattered to her the most, his valuable friendship. Considering that she didn't know Czech, she was homeschooled by her father when he had the time. She remembered that she would wait anxiously for Tomas to come back home from school. She would help him with homework then go outside to play. Occasionally, she would get teased for her unusual appearance by the neighborhood children. That's where Tomas would jump in and defend her.

But…she knew that _that_ happiness would not last long. Eventually, they left and Soraya was lonely again. They traveled all over Europe and eventually ended up in a small village in China…

The rest is history.

* * *

_Soraya walked along the forest frantically. She was late, yet again, and she knew that her father would get worried and scold at her again._ _When she saw the little house near the river, she made a dash for it._

_She practically threw the door open. _

"_Father! I'm home!" She called out, expecting an immediate angry response. Instead, she heard nothing. She frowned and threw her coat on the wooden chair. _

"_Father?" She called out again. She walked towards the bedroom, hoping to find him snoring away in his dreams. _

_She slowly opened her father's bedroom door. "Fa—"_

_She stopped and looked at the destroyed and bloody bedroom. Her father laid on the bed, his throat cut open. His honey eyes were wide open and lifeless. Blood splattered on the bed and on the walls. Glass from the mirror, shattered and pieces littered the wooden floor._

_Soraya stared at him, her eyes becoming as lifeless as his. After ten minutes of staring, she stumbled out of the bedroom and into the living room. She grabbed her coat and left her home…_

* * *

The situation reminded her of the song, "The Scientist" by Coldplay. It reminded her how the song spoke about guilt…

About how the singer could wish he could go back in time and fix everything. That's how she felt now. She wanted to go back in time, safe her father, and hold him again.

Not to mention, she wanted to rid of this **guilt**.

That's what ate her alive at this moment. The burning, suffocating guilt. Because of her existence, her father was dead. _She _killed him.

And, not to mention that if she had stayed home, she could've protected him.

…or at least die along with him.

It saddened her…_angered_ her, that her being killed him. Maybe if she took her own life, she could repay it back…

"_No_."

Her watery eyes looked up from the ground. "W-what?"

"_No te mueras por mí_." The familiar voice spoke. "Don't kill yourself over me."

She looked next to her and saw her young father standing a few feet away from her. Without hesitation, she jumped into his warm arms ecstatically with tears now running down her face. She didn't have to worry about her dignity anymore; this was her father and he was allowed to see her cry.

"Daddy…" she whimpered, burying her face into his chest. "Why did you have to go? Why you and not me?"

"_It was my time, child."_ He spoke softly.

"No it wasn't!" She yelled, pushing him away. "You were meant to live a happy life and die peacefully. But no…you had your throat slit open and it's my entire fault!"

"_No…no it wasn't_…"

"_**IDIOTA**_**!**" She screamed. "_**YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND**__! I __**KILLED**__ YOU! MY EXISTANCE KILLED YOU_!"

She turned away from him, growling inhumanely.

"_You didn't_." he spoke again. "_The man who killed me did_."

"Who killed you?" She asked her voice dangerously calm. "Tell me who it was…" She turned around only to see that her father's illusion—or whatever the hell it was—gone. She fell to her knees, the burning guilt going away, only for it to be replaced by a _numbing_ sensation.

What if her father wanted something from her? Her face remained calm as she realized her vital task.

"I promise you **_revenge_**...father..."

* * *

A/N: Well ain't that nice...

Anyway, I'll probably update during Christmas vacation. I'll see you guys soon! :)


	18. Chapter 18: Defeat

Chapter 18: Defeat

_**A/N:** If some of the fighting scenes don't make sense…excuse that. XD I'm still a noob at those things. And I didn't want to ask since I hate asking for it. (Hooray for being stubborn…-_-) And because I'm stupid and barely realized this, the antagonists are changing. It's Quan Chi and Noob Saibot, just to be clear._

_*facepalm* I know. I know. I'm not changing it ever again I promise. XD_

_Enjoy!_

_And I'd like to thank those who recently followed this story! Any form of support keeps me going you guys!_

* * *

Noob Saibot stood at a hilltop, over watching the base. A wraith, disguised as a soldier, informed Quan Chi of the Earthrealm warrior's site. And now they were here, along with many other wraiths, to kill them all and however many Edenian soldiers. If they succeed, they'll have an easier time conquering Edenia.

"Is everything ready?" Noob asked impatiently.

Quan Chi smirked. "So eager…"

"Shut up." Noob hissed. "So are we?"

The sorcerer rolled his eyes. "Yes. Yes…we are. Make sure to kill them all."

"And what of the Eve?" he asked.

"…Kill her too. We no longer need her."

"I thought you said—"

"I know what I said." Quan Chi muttered, crossing his arms. "Her soul is too resilient now. She won't convert."

"I could _make_ her, you know…" Noob smirked under his cowl.

"With what? Your pompous attitude?" Quan Chi mocked. "_Kill her_."

The wraith shrugged. "Fine."

With that, Noob morphed into black, sticky goo and went towards the base. He was followed by the rest of the wraiths.

* * *

"Ouch…" Smoke muttered as he walked with the Cryomancer. "So _that's_ what happened to her…"

Sub-Zero nodded, entering the sparring room. "The only reason she wouldn't remember was because she suppressed it, like you."

The two men turned their heads when they heard a loud crash and screaming. They ran out of the room and headed towards the source of noise.

* * *

He had a particular goal in mind.

When he heard Quan Chi's words about the Eve, he went about the base in his shadowy form looking for her while the other wraiths caused mayhem. He found her walking an isolated hallway, by herself, furiously rubbing her eyes. She was heading towards the chaos in base. He wasn't sure if Quan Chi was right; the woman looked broken enough.

...He still saw her as a challenge. He wanted to break her spirit. He wanted to see her crumble and cry before him. He saw the woman stop and look around. Suddenly, her hands were in flames.

So she could sense him…

The shadowy form took shape and he stood a few feet away from her. Soraya scanned him with bloodshot eyes. Her jaw clenched and her nostrils flared.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She asked, her voice dripping with resentment.

"Anger doesn't suit you, you know." Noob smirked. "Beautiful women shouldn't be mad."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, asshole." She seethed. "Now answer me!"

"My my…you've changed since I last saw you!"

"You're a waste of my time." She turned around and continued walking. He smirk grew wider and he teleported in front of her, surprising her. She wasn't going to get away that easily.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you!"

"Your friends don't need your help."

She attempted to punch him square in the jaw, which he countered and sent her back a few feet with a successful kick to the abdomen, effectively knocking the wind out of her.

She coughed. "I-it was you?"

"That took you awhile."

"Fuck you."

"With pleasure…" He purred.

She widened her eyes and backed away slowly.

The wraith chuckled at the weak woman. "Besides, why would they need you? _You_ did this. You're the one that caused all this."

"…W-what?"

"Quan Chi wants you for something." The wraith lied expertly while shrugging. "I believe he wants your power. But if you suddenly went missing, your friends would come after you, right? So, while we're here, we'll kill them all."

"T-that is _not _true!"

"Would I lie to you? After all, it happened to your father."

He got her. He finally got her. Just hearing that made her freeze.

"How…do you know…?"

"How else?" He chuckled. "_I _killed him."

* * *

It was absolute chaos.

Sub-Zero effectively snapped the neck of the wraith, killing him.

"Sub-Zero!" Smoke yelled. "Behind you!"

Immediately, a sharp, ice shard appeared in his hands and he whirled around, stabbing the demon in the head. He kicked the corpse away.

"Do you remember where Soraya is?" Smoke asked urgently as he fought off a wraith.

The Cryomancer stabbed the wraith through his chest with an ice sword, saving Smoke. "Yes I do."

"Go get her." Smoke demanded. "She can't be safe."

Sub-Zero nodded and dropped the body. Effectively dodging some of the wraiths, he ran to her place praying that she was safe.

* * *

"You…you KILLED HIM?!"

"Quan Chi's orders." He replied apathetically.

"WHY?!" She screamed, tears running down her face.

He smirked. "He hoped that he could your powers to take over the dimensions. With your father's death, you would've never known who killed him. He would've lied to you and made you one of us…so basically, _it was your fault_."

"No it wasn't…"

"If you weren't so special in Quan Chi's eyes, he would have never been dead…"

"S-shut up…"

"Imagine how disappointed your father was to have you as a daughter? And then, to top it off, you're the reason _he died_? _You __**are **__a monster_."

* * *

"…_You __**are**__ a monster_."

That was it. Those words was she all needed. _She's broken_.

She couldn't comprehend what was going on anymore. Her eyes stung, her hands were numb, and her chest ached like no tomorrow.

She screamed something at him…what was it?

"_**SHUT UP**_!"

Oh yes…that. She could have set him on fire. It could have been easier to put him in a bubble of water and watch him drown to death. It could have been easier to raise the earth beneath him and watch him be crushed.

Instead, she charged recklessly toward the wraith.

She wanted to break every bone his body had while he was alive so he could feel her pain. She wanted to feel his cold blood and his blue tissue in her hands as she cut him open to kill him. She wouldn't be able to feel the satisfaction of killing him with her own hands if she burned him alive.

After all, she _is_ a monster right? Then why not be one?

But now, she was being held by him with a large knife in her abdomen, blood pouring from her mouth at an alarmingly fast pace.

She should have known better…

"Such a waste…" Noob whispered and let the limp body fall to the floor.

* * *

Noob watched as the Eve vomited blood, satisfaction running through his blood.

"Get…away from her." He heard a familiar voice growl.

"Hello…brother." He said as he slowly looked away from the pathetic woman.

"I said, get away from her!" The Cryomancer yelled, stalking towards him.

"She's dead, Kuai, there's no use."

He teleported to the other side of the hallway as his brother tried to grab his throat. He chuckled and ran off.

* * *

Kuai hissed in frustration as his brother ran off. He'll deal with him later.

"Kuai…" The woman whispered. She sounded happy. "You're okay…"

He picked up the woman bridal-style and looked at her face. Aside from the bloody mouth, she seemed fine physically but her eyes bothered him. They were bloodshot and if he wasn't mistaken, her eyes seemed a different color.

"Don't talk." He commanded softly. "We need to get you out of here. You're losing too much blood."

She nodded and with that, Sub-Zero quietly went through the hallways.

* * *

"Thank god she's okay." Smoke said as Sub-Zero met the rest of the warriors outside of the base. They all seemed fine but most if not all Edenian soldiers were dead.

"She's bleeding Smoke." He hissed.

"She's breathing. That's good enough."

Raiden spoke. "Don't worry about her; I'll teleport us all to the Edenian castle. She'll receive the medical attention she needs there."

Sub-Zero nodded. Raiden raised his hand and with a bolt of lightning, teleported the warriors.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Daaaat cliffhanger. XD

I'm feeling better I suppose. Hope you liked it!


	19. Chapter 19: Apprehension

_Chapter 19: Apprehension_

_**A/N:**__ Enjoy! Listen to this song while reading this! watch?v=XcYWu9CSvuE_

* * *

"…_**Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever."**_

- _**Aleksandar Hemon**_

* * *

"…Tomas?"

Smoke opened his eyes slowly, and he yawned. He didn't look at his friend. He didn't want to either. "…Hmm?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes Sub-Zero." He lied. "I'm fine."

"You didn't seem worried about her at first…"

"Neither did you." Smoke interjected.

"I was and I still am." A quiet reply came. It made sense, Smoke supposed. His friend hated to show any kind of emotion that showed others he cared about another person.

"…Well, I am worried." Smoke whispered. "I'm scared, actually."

"Don't be. She'll…she'll be fine."

"What makes you so sure?" the Enenra muttered. "She lost a lot of blood…"

"She's resilient." Kuai said. To Smoke, it sounded like he was smiling. "She'll be fine."

The two men were quiet for a moment.

"…She reminds me of someone." Tomas said.

"Who?"

"Just someone I knew as a child…" He sounded sad.

* * *

It was like something was infused in her skin and held her back as she stared at the demon that killed her father.

"You pitiful thing." He hissed.

She replied with a vicious growl. She yearned for his blood on her hands. With enough force, she snapped off one of the things that held her back.

She got closer and even more desperate.

_Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. _A voice rang.

Another snap and she was close enough to reach for his neck.

_KILL HIM! _It was crying now. It sounded depressed.

She ripped his head off, laughing gruesomely. She looked at her hands…and saw red blood.

_Red?_

She looked at the corpse again. It was Kuai Liang and he looked extremely confused.

"I was joking." The bloody head spoke. "You didn't have to do that to me; or to the others."

She looked to her right and saw a gory pile of the ones she loved.

Her mother, her father, Tomas…her new friends…

"Oh…Oh..." She whispered as she backed away from the corpses. Tears sprang to her eyes; she dropped and laid on the floor. She wiped away the tears from her face, covering herself in blood in the process. She curled up.

Things started shaking violently around her; too violently, perhaps.

* * *

Kuai sat next to Soraya, looking at her.

He was angry at himself. He shouldn't have left her alone at the base when she had run off crying. Maybe he should've followed her and helped her…

But how could he have helped her? He wasn't good with people when they were gloomy. Let alone, a weeping woman. What could he have told her? That everything was going to be alright? He was sure that wouldn't help at all. Or maybe he's just being pessimistic.

…Or maybe he's over thinking the situation.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He heard the door behind him open and close shut.

"Did you sleep well?" the Cryomancer asked, grinning, remembering last night.

"Fuck. You." The Enenra hissed furiously.

Sub-Zero laughed gently. "I'll take that as a yes then."

"Why?"

"'_Why'_ what?"

"Do_ not_ act stupid. You _know _what you did."

"You refused to sleep so I…_helped_." He was still grinning.

Smoke rubbed his head. "You didn't have to knock me out…"

"Aww…you poor baby!" Kuai teased. "You hadn't slept for three days so I did you a favor."

"I'm going to get you back for this."

"Ooooh…I'm _so_ scared."

Smoke rolled his eyes and dismissed the issue. "How is she?"

"After the seizure, the doctors confirmed she was stable."

"Is she still changing?"

"It seems so." He shrugged.

He remembered her eyes clearly. They weren't light brown anymore; they were a bloody red. Even her light hair was darkening. It was a dark brown now, almost black. Meanwhile, her skin remained the same pale hue. The doctors weren't sure what had caused the changes in her physical appearance and Kuai hoped that Soraya would know something about it.

Though, he highly doubted she would. It wouldn't hurt to hope, though.

Smoke pulled a chair over and sat down next to his friend. "So what _really_ happened when you two were alone huh?"

"Damn it Tomas!" Sub-Zero frowned. "I told you, we talked. _Talked_. That's it. Nothing more."

"Uh-huh sure." Smoke smiled. "I'm assuming that's a code for something _dirty_."

"You're insufferable."

"So I've been told." The Enenra said, still smiling.

Sub-Zero shook his head and remained quiet. He didn't understand why Smoke teased him that way. He could never physically like his own student in that way!

…At least, that is what he told himself. Yes, he caught himself staring at her during the trip to the base but that's it! That will never happen again!

Or so he hoped.

He hated Soraya sometimes. He hated how he always found himself saying things to her that he hadn't even told Smoke—of all people. He hardly ever said no to her and he was too protective of her. He cared too much about her. Perhaps it's a phase…

Yes, that's what it is. _A phase_. He'll get over it soon enough.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" Smoke asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Soon, hopefully." Kuai sighed. "The doctors said she recovered quickly enough. I told you that she would be fine."

"…Right."

In reality, Kuai had only said that to ease his friend. He was as scared as Tomas was that day. That's another thing he hated. He was afraid to lose her. He wondered if he had gotten too close to the woman in front of him. He wondered if—by some chance—she had died the very day of the attack, if it would had hurt him as much as loosing Bi-Han.

…Probably.

"Kuai?"

"Yes, Smoke?"

"Let's go get breakfast."

"…Ok. I'll join you in a moment."

He heard his friend leave the room and shut the door gently. He placed his cold hand on hers and sighed.

He wished she could wake up now.

* * *

She sank. She saw blue.

_Water._

She could still breathe though, as she kept sinking.

She liked blue. It was peaceful…

Calm. For once, she felt happy. The water was warm too. It hugged her sweetly, reminding her that she still belonged somewhere. That she wasn't a monster.

Blue reminded her of when Kuai carried her to the infirmary. A blurry memory, but it was precious to her. She had felt warm in his arms, like how she felt now. She felt safe and…welcomed.

She sank deeper.

Blue reminded her of his icy eyes that were so unreadable. They were so frustrating to understand and to get an answer out of. She still loved them, though.

She hit the soft ground slowly.

…She loved him. As much as she loathed to admit it.

Her eyes stared at the serene water. Then she closed them.

When she reopened them, she was staring at a white room and she was on a bed. Something cold gripped her hands softly. It was Sub-Zero's hand and he was looking down. She gripped his hand as well and she saw him look up.

Quickly, he removed his hand, much to her dismay.

"Hey sleepyhead." He said, smiling awkwardly.

* * *

_**A/N:** The end. :)_

_No not really. XD Instead of doing homework, I did this. :I_

_I'm such a responsible student you guys! :D Hope you enjoyed!_


	20. Chapter 20: Aftermath

Chapter 20: Aftermath

**A/N:** *gasps* I'm not dead! Yeah…sorry for not updating. College is starting in two days and…I've been getting ready. I don't have writer's block, by the way. My laptop crashed TWICE and I'm trying to fix another one so I can use that one instead. I'm writing this chapter now because I won't have time during the month of college. Afterwards, if the laptop is fixed, I'll get back to this story.

Sorry for the long explanation.

Onwards!

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own any MK characters mentioned or used in my story.**

* * *

The tea burned her mouth and throat as Soraya drank it. She cringed and put _another _spoonful of honey into the tea. She knew that by now Kuai would be frowning at her recent, horrible "habit" of over sweetening things.

She drank the tea again and gave a twitchy smile in response.

"Perfecto!" She exclaimed in Spanish. "Perfect! Excellent!"

She scanned her room with her red eyes and thought about the color scheme.

Red. A red room. "Red is an elegant color…" she said to herself quietly. "It's like blood…"

She finished the tea, stood up, and wobbled to her bed made of soft, silken red sheets. She climbed into it and sighed tiredly.

"I'm sleepy." She said to no one. "The tea should kick in soon, though."

"But you don't want to sleep, right?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I have nightmares."

"Why haven't you told anyone? Why haven't you told Kuai or Tomas?"

"_My _emotions are of no significance. Don't you remember? I'm a monster. Monsters should not interact with other people."

"They'll worry about you, you know."

"_They_ shouldn't. I'll be fine! It's not like anything bad happened!"

"But—"

"I said nothing happened! End of discussion!"

Soraya laughed at her own conversation. She played with her fingers until she fell asleep.

* * *

She knew.

Soraya _knew_ she was going through a phase of insanity.

Why?

When she woke up, Kuai explained everything.

Scorpion said they had at least a month to prepare for the invasion against Edenia that will be obviously be led by Quan Chi himself. Kuai also mentioned that he and the other warriors would be spending the rest of their days training soldiers and preparing for the attack.

He also stated, with absolute authority, that she would not be helping until she recovered physically.

Of course, this struck an argument between them. Soraya gave up eventually when Tomas insisted that Kuai was right and that she should rest.

Oh, how the boredom killed her.

Not only that, but she was having trouble coping with everything that had occurred recently. With her memory back, she sank into a fit of grieving and self-pity and spent most of her resting days in her room. Her sudden change in appearance didn't make it any better. Her red eyes scared servants away and no one, even Tomas, seemed to have the time for her. She understood the reason but, it still made her angry. Adding to the list would be her lack of sleep and disgust towards food; any kind of food made her nauseous.

Dark circles formed under her eyes and she became visibly skinnier.

A week passed like that and she eventually relied on her own company for conversation and comfort.

She knew it was horrible idea, but she refused to listen to the dreadful silence that continued in her room.

* * *

"_Dad, does God actually exist?"_

_Soraya's father looked at her, and then continued to stir his tea. "Do you believe in him?"_

"_No."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because mom is dead."_

_The man stopped and gave her a hard look before answering rather coldly. "You know you're not supposed to bring that up."_

_The teenager stayed silent for a moment. "I know...I'm sorry. I just—"_

"_Miss her? I know. I do to."_

_Soraya looked down at her feet and avoided eye contact._

"_If you don't believe in him, then he isn't real…that's how I see it." He responded. _

"_Do_ you_ believe in God?"_

_Without skipping a beat, the man responded: "Yes."_

"_Why?"_

"_God creates miracles…The fact that you and I are still alive is a miracle. The fact that I still have you is a wonderful miracle."_

"_What do you mean 'you'?"_

_Her father smiled sadly. "Nothing. Those horrible thoughts are gone now. I see no reason behind doing such actions. Don't worry about it."_

"_Will you just—"_

"_Go to your room."_

"_But I—"_

"_GO…to your room. Now."_

_Feeling frustrated at the unanswered question, Soraya stood from her chair and left her father alone with his thoughts._

* * *

Soraya stared at her reflection on the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were blood-shot from the tears that her recent dream gave her.

This was routine now.

Go to sleep, have a nightmare, wake up, cry, avoid food and other substances for a while, and then babble pathetically to avoid the silence.

She noticed that her face was becoming blanker as days went by. Her hands clenched into fists and she frowned.

"Pathetic…" She hissed. She punched the mirror and broke it. She stared at her bloody knuckle indifferently before shrugging and walking out of the bathroom; she didn't even bother to clean it up.

"You _are_ going to do something, do you understand?!" She hissed. "No more sulking. No more crying. Screw Kuai. You can do whatever you want. You are DONE grieving! Do something with yourself!"

With that speech over, she walked into her closet and took out a dress for the day.

"Why aren't women allowed anything _but_ dresses?!" She muttered to herself. Eventually, she gave up on the ordeal and decided on a black dress. She slipped out of her silk pajamas and awkwardly put on the black dress.

She took a look in the bedroom mirror and decided it was good for the day.

Her face was devoid of any emotion.

She nodded in approval. "That's the way you should be."

She made her way to the dining room to complete her first task: To eat a healthy meal.

That was something she hadn't done in a while.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeahhh...not my best.

See you guys in...god knows what day!


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